CVE-2008-5157
Published Nov 18, 2008 · Updated Oct 23, 2026
Original summary
Normalized public record · Updated Oct 23, 2026
tau 2.16.4 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a (1) /tmp/makefile.tau.*.##### or (2) /tmp/makefile.tau*.##### temporary file, related to the (a) tau_cxx, (b) tau_f90, and (c) tau_cc scripts.
Publisher and source text is retained separately from QFinch interpretation.
QFinch assessment
tau 2.16.4 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a (1) /tmp/makefile.tau.*.##### or (2) /tmp/makefile.tau*.##### temporary file, related to the (a) tau_cxx, (b) tau_f90, and (c) tau_cc scripts.
Evidence: public source recordsAffected products
| Affected package, product or range | Fix status |
|---|---|
| Consult the referenced vendor advisory for affected versions. | Consult source advisory |
Matching a version is only one part of assessing exposure. QFinch has not assessed your environment on this public page.
Remediation
Apply the vendor-supported fixed release or mitigation, then verify the affected component is no longer reachable.
- Confirm the affected product and reachable code path exist in your environment.
- Apply the vendor-supported patch or mitigation from the primary advisory.
- Rescan the exact deployed revision and retain verification evidence.
Evidence coverage
- SSVC priority
- LOW
- Confidence
- Not available
- Aliases
- None reported
Scores appear only when corresponding evidence exists. Missing data is never interpreted as zero risk.
Sources and record history
- bugs.debian.org ↗
- [debian-devel] 20080813 Re: Possible mass bug filing: The possibility of attack with the help of symlinks in some Debian packages ↗
- uvw.ru ↗
- 32821 ↗
- tau-multiple-scripts-symlink(46704) ↗
- 32404 ↗
Record history
Published Nov 18, 2008 · Last refreshed Oct 23, 2026