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CVE-2008-3916

25
FAUCET Score

CVE-2008-3916 describes a heap-based buffer overflow in the strip_escapes function of GNU ed before version 1.0, allowing arbitrary code execution via a long filename. This vulnerability carries a critical CVSS score of 9.3, indicating a network-exploitable flaw with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, though its privilege escalation potential is limited to scenarios where ed is a third-party component. Despite its severity, there is no evidence of active exploitation, publicly available exploit code, or significant community discussion or media coverage.

Impacted Technologies

VendorProductVersion(s)CPE
0.2CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:ed:0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
0.3CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:ed:0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
0.4CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:ed:0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
0.5CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:ed:0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
0.6CPE matchmatch criteria
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:ed:0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

CVSS Data

CVSS version used by this source: 2.0

9.3HIGH

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Confidentiality Impact
COMPLETE
Integrity Impact
COMPLETE
Availability Impact
COMPLETE
Access Vector
NETWORK
Access Complexity
MEDIUM
Authentication
NONE
Exploitability Score
8.6
Impact Score
10.0
CvssVersion
2.0

Exploit Intelligence

EPSS Score
3.60%
Probability of exploitation in next 30 days
EPSS Percentile
88.2%
Percentile rank of EPSS score among Peer Group
As of 2026-07-24
Model: v2026.06.15
This CVE's current EPSS score of 0.0360 is in the 48th percentile among its peer group of 8,913 CVEs.

Social Chatter

The average CVE in this peer group has 0.0 Twitter, 0.1 Reddit, 0.1 Bluesky, 0.0 Mastodon, and 0.2 GitHub mentions.

Media Mentions

No media coverage found for this CVE.

The average CVE in this peer group has 0.1 InfoSec Media, 0.0 Vendor Blog, and 0.0 Security Researcher mentions.

Remediation

Patch Available

Vendor Patches (4)

redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1Fixed in: ed-0:0.2-21.1
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3Fixed in: ed-0:0.2-33.30E.1
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4Fixed in: ed-0:0.2-36.el4_7.1
View patch
redhatpatch availablevia redhat_api
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5Fixed in: ed-0:0.2-39.el5_2
View patch

Vendor Advisories (1)

redhatCVE-2008-3916Moderate

ed: Heap-based buffer overflow (arb. code execution)

Jun 30, 2008

References

lists.gnu.org / archive/html/bug-ed/2008-08/msg00000.html
lists.opensuse.org / opensuse-security-announce/2011-01/msg00006.html
lists.vmware.com / pipermail/security-announce/2010/000082.html
secunia.com / advisories/32349
secunia.com / advisories/32460
secunia.com / advisories/33005
secunia.com / advisories/38794
secunia.com / advisories/43068
security.gentoo.org / glsa/glsa-200809-15.xml
exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com / vulnerabilities/44643
oval.cisecurity.org / repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10678
support.avaya.com / elmodocs2/security/ASA-2008-461.htm
redhat.com / archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-October/msg00847.html
redhat.com / archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-October/msg00873.html
mandriva.com / security/advisories
redhat.com / support/errata/RHSA-2008-0946.html
securityfocus.com / archive/1/501298/100/0/threaded
securityfocus.com / bid/30815
securitytracker.com / id
vmware.com / security/advisories/VMSA-2009-0003.html
vupen.com / english/advisories/2008/2642
vupen.com / english/advisories/2008/3347
vupen.com / english/advisories/2010/0528
vupen.com / english/advisories/2011/0212