UNKNOWN CVSS 7.5
Published: 2008-04-09

CVE-2008-1687

gnu m4 Security Advisory (CVE-2008-1687)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2008-1687 impacting gnu m4. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 7.5 (UNKNOWN).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
The (1) maketemp and (2) mkstemp builtin functions in GNU m4 before 1.4.11 do not quote their output when a file is created, which might allow context-dependent attackers to trigger a macro expansion, leading to unspecified use of an incorrect filename.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product gnu / m4
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration NVD-CWE-Other

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2008-1687 impacting gnu m4.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2008-1687.yaml
id: cve-2008-1687

info:
  name: gnu m4 - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: unknown
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2008-1687 affecting gnu m4.
    Evaluation: The (1) maketemp and (2) mkstemp builtin functions in GNU m4 before 1.4.11 do not quote their output when a file is created, which might allow context...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2008-1687
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
    cvss-score: 7.5
    cve-id: CVE-2008-1687
    cwe-id: NVD-CWE-Other
  tags: cve,cve-2008-1687,gnu,m4,unknown

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "m4"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2008-1687.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2008-1687
# Target: gnu m4 | CVSS: 7.5 (UNKNOWN)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2008-1687 (gnu m4)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against gnu m4 scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2008-1687.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2008-1687
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install m4 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade m4 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update m4

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i m4 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i m4

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2008-1687 in gnu m4?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update gnu m4 packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2008-1687?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2008-1687?

CVE-2008-1687 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 7.5 (UNKNOWN). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
7.5
UNKNOWN SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2008-1687
Weakness NVD-CWE-Other
Vendor gnu
Product m4
Published 2008-04-09
Vector AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P