How severe is CVE-2008-5728?

CVE-2008-5728 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.1, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2008-5728 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-5728?

CVE-2008-5728 primarily affects Netcat. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-5728?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2008-5728 published?

CVE-2008-5728 was published on 2008-12-26 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2008-5728

CVE-2008-5728 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Netcat with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.1. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-22.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 5.1)
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (78th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-22
Affected product: Netcat
Published: 2008-12-26
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in AIST NetCat 3.12 and earlier, when magic_quotes_gpc is disabled and register_globals is enabled, allow remote attackers to include and execute arbitrary local files via a .. (dot dot) in (1) the system parameter in modules/netshop/post.php; and the INCLUDE_FOLDER parameter in (2) auth.inc.php, (3) banner.inc.php, (4) blog.inc.php, and (5) forum.inc.php in modules/.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-5728?: Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in AIST NetCat 3.12 and earlier, when magic_quotes_gpc is disabled and register_globals is enabled, allow remote attackers to include and execute arbitrary local files via a .. (dot dot) in (1) the system parameter in modules/netshop/post.php; and the INCLUDE_FOLDER parameter in (2) auth.inc.php, (3) banner.inc.php, (4) blog.inc.php, and (5) forum.inc.php in modules/.
How severe is CVE-2008-5728?: CVE-2008-5728 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.1, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2008-5728 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2008-5728?: CVE-2008-5728 primarily affects Netcat. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2008-5728?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2008-5728 published?: CVE-2008-5728 was published on 2008-12-26 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (8)

cpe:2.3:a:netcat:netcat:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netcat:netcat:1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netcat:netcat:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netcat:netcat:2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netcat:netcat:2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netcat:netcat:2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netcat:netcat:2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netcat:netcat:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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