CVE catalog

CVE-2008-3916

ed: CVE-2008-3916

Severity: Medium
Published: Jun 30, 2008, 12:00:00 AM UTC
Source: [NVD] · [CVE record]
EPSS: 3.60% · Oct 27, 2026

Heap-based buffer overflow in the strip_escapes function in signal.c in GNU ed before 1.0 allows context-dependent or user-assisted attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long filename. NOTE: since ed itself does not typically run with special privileges, this issue only crosses privilege boundaries when ed is invoked as a third-party component.

Vulnerable and fixed packages

Distribution-reported package versions and fixes. These do not depend on matching against the OpenFactory package catalog.

Distribution	Package	Release	Version	Status
Debian	ed	sid	`1.22.5-1`	fixed
Debian	ed	forky	`1.22.5-1`	fixed
Debian	ed	trixie	`1.21.1-1`	fixed
Debian	ed	bookworm	`1.19-1`	fixed

Fixed-version evidence

Distribution	Package	Type	Release	Fixed version	Urgency	Origin	Bugs
Debian	ed	source	sid	`0.7-2`	low	Not reported	Not reported
Debian	ed	source	forky	`0.7-2`	low	Not reported	Not reported
Debian	ed	source	trixie	`0.7-2`	low	Not reported	Not reported
Debian	ed	source	bookworm	`0.7-2`	low	Not reported	Not reported

OpenFactory catalog packages

[Debian 12 (Bookworm)]

[ed]Fixed
Details (2)
- 1.19-1 · amd64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.7-2
  dsa · ed · debian · bookworm; dsa · ed · debian · 12
- 1.19-1 · arm64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.7-2
  dsa · ed · debian · bookworm; dsa · ed · debian · 12

[Debian 13 (Trixie)]

[ed]Fixed
Details (2)
- 1.21.1-1 · amd64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.7-2
  dsa · ed · debian · 13
- 1.21.1-1 · arm64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 0.7-2
  dsa · ed · debian · 13

Observed: Oct 23, 2026, 5:04:19 PM UTC

References

[Debian Security Tracker] · [FIRST EPSS] · [OSV Package Vulnerability Database] · [Red Hat security advisories and VEX]