CVE-2004-0969: The groffer script in the Groff package 1.18 and later versions, as used in Trustix Secure Linux 1.5 throug...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2004-0969 is an old local file-overwrite flaw in Groff's groffer script. A user with local access could abuse insecure temporary-file handling to overwrite files through symlinks. The business risk is mainly legacy Unix/Linux systems with Groff installed and untrusted local users. Exposure is most likely on legacy Linux or Unix systems retaining affected Groff/groffer packages, especially multi-user hosts, shell servers, build systems, or older appliances. The source bundle names Trustix and references Gentoo, Mandriva, Red Hat, IBM X-Force, SecurityFocus, and Secunia records, but does not prove all platforms are affected. Treat this as a legacy hygiene issue, not an emergency internet-facing incident. Remediate during legacy Linux review cycles, with higher priority for shared systems or environments where local users are not fully trusted. Mitigation focus: Check vendor advisories for affected Groff/groffer packages and apply supported updates.; Inventory legacy Linux systems for Groff 1.18 or later-era vulnerable packages.; Restrict untrusted local shell access on systems where groffer remains installed..

Prepared

Jun 30, 2026, 02:24 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.