CVE-2008-4953: firehol in firehol 1.256 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on (1) /tmp/....

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2008-4953 is a reported local file-overwrite issue in FireHOL 1.256. A local user may be able to abuse predictable temporary files in /tmp with symlinks. The vendor disputed practical exploitability, and the source bundle provides no CVSS score, patch status, or evidence of active exploitation. Exposure appears limited to systems running the reported FireHOL 1.256 code path where untrusted local users can interact with /tmp. The bundle does not identify affected distributions, maintained package versions, or remote attack exposure. Moderate operational follow-up is appropriate for legacy Linux estates. This is not supported as an internet-scale emergency by the supplied evidence, but systems with local multi-user access should be checked. Mitigation focus: Check current FireHOL or distribution guidance for package status and remediation.; Inventory systems for FireHOL 1.256 or distro packages derived from it.; Reduce untrusted local shell access on affected legacy systems..

Prepared

Jun 28, 2026, 18:33 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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