CVE catalog

CVE-2009-5081

groff affected and fixed versions

[CVE catalog]

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.

Severity
Low
Published
Source
[NVD] · [CVE record]
EPSS
0.29% · Oct 27, 2026

Projects and upstream resources

Reported versions and fixes

Each observation applies to its named package, distribution, and release. Distribution backports can fix a vulnerability while retaining an older upstream version number.

Distribution / releasePackageVersionStatusSource
Debiantrixiegroff1.20.1-5FixedDistribution-reported fixed boundary[CVE-2009-5081]
Debiantrixiegroff1.23.0-9Fixed[CVE-2009-5081]
Debiansidgroff1.20.1-5FixedDistribution-reported fixed boundary[CVE-2009-5081]
Debiansidgroff1.24.2-2Fixed[CVE-2009-5081]
Debianforkygroff1.20.1-5FixedDistribution-reported fixed boundary[CVE-2009-5081]
Debianforkygroff1.24.2-2Fixed[CVE-2009-5081]
Debianbookwormgroff1.20.1-5FixedDistribution-reported fixed boundary[CVE-2009-5081]
Debianbookwormgroff1.22.4-10Fixed[CVE-2009-5081]
Provider details and historical evidence
Distribution / releasePackageVersionStatusSource
Debianbookwormgroff1.20.1-5FixedDistribution-reported fixed boundary[CVE-2009-5081]
Debianbookwormgroff1.22.4-10Fixed[CVE-2009-5081]
Debianforkygroff1.20.1-5FixedDistribution-reported fixed boundary[CVE-2009-5081]
Debianforkygroff1.24.2-2Fixed[CVE-2009-5081]
Debiansidgroff1.20.1-5FixedDistribution-reported fixed boundary[CVE-2009-5081]
Debiansidgroff1.24.2-2Fixed[CVE-2009-5081]
Debiantrixiegroff1.20.1-5FixedDistribution-reported fixed boundary[CVE-2009-5081]
Debiantrixiegroff1.23.0-9Fixed[CVE-2009-5081]
Original provider fields
{
  "package_releases": [
    {
      "name": "groff",
      "status": "fixed",
      "release": "sid",
      "version": "1.24.2-2"
    },
    {
      "name": "groff",
      "status": "fixed",
      "release": "forky",
      "version": "1.24.2-2"
    },
    {
      "name": "groff",
      "status": "fixed",
      "release": "trixie",
      "version": "1.23.0-9"
    },
    {
      "name": "groff",
      "status": "fixed",
      "release": "bookworm",
      "version": "1.22.4-10"
    }
  ],
  "fixed_versions": [
    {
      "bug": null,
      "name": "groff",
      "type": "source",
      "origin": null,
      "release": "sid",
      "urgency": "unimportant",
      "fixed_version": "1.20.1-5"
    },
    {
      "bug": null,
      "name": "groff",
      "type": "source",
      "origin": null,
      "release": "forky",
      "urgency": "unimportant",
      "fixed_version": "1.20.1-5"
    },
    {
      "bug": null,
      "name": "groff",
      "type": "source",
      "origin": null,
      "release": "trixie",
      "urgency": "unimportant",
      "fixed_version": "1.20.1-5"
    },
    {
      "bug": null,
      "name": "groff",
      "type": "source",
      "origin": null,
      "release": "bookworm",
      "urgency": "unimportant",
      "fixed_version": "1.20.1-5"
    }
  ],
  "distribution_packages": []
}

OpenFactory catalog packages

Matching against OpenFactory catalog package versions is in progress.

[Debian 12 (Bookworm)]

  • [groff]Unknown
    Details (2)

    • 1.22.4-10 · amd64 · bookworm

      Fixed · Fixed: 1.20.1-5

      dsa · groff · debian · bookworm; dsa · groff · debian · 12

    • 1.22.4-10 · arm64 · bookworm

      Fixed · Fixed: 1.20.1-5

      dsa · groff · debian · bookworm; dsa · groff · debian · 12

  • [groff-base]Unknown

    Source package: [groff]

    Details (2)

    • 1.22.4-10 · amd64 · bookworm

      Fixed · Fixed: 1.20.1-5

      dsa · groff · debian · bookworm; dsa · groff · debian · 12

    • 1.22.4-10 · arm64 · bookworm

      Fixed · Fixed: 1.20.1-5

      dsa · groff · debian · bookworm; dsa · groff · debian · 12

[Debian 13 (Trixie)]

  • [groff]Unknown
    Details (2)

    • 1.23.0-9 · amd64 · trixie

      Fixed · Fixed: 1.20.1-5

      dsa · groff · debian · 13

    • 1.23.0-9 · arm64 · trixie

      Fixed · Fixed: 1.20.1-5

      dsa · groff · debian · 13

  • [groff-base]Unknown

    Source package: [groff]

    Details (2)

    • 1.23.0-9 · amd64 · trixie

      Fixed · Fixed: 1.20.1-5

      dsa · groff · debian · 13

    • 1.23.0-9 · arm64 · trixie

      Fixed · Fixed: 1.20.1-5

      dsa · groff · debian · 13

Observed:

References

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