CVE-2008-2936
CWE-264Published: August 18, 2008· Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Official Description
Postfix before 2.3.15, 2.4 before 2.4.8, 2.5 before 2.5.4, and 2.6 before 2.6-20080814, when the operating system supports hard links to symlinks, allows local users to append e-mail messages to a file to which a root-owned symlink points, by creating a hard link to this symlink and then sending a message. NOTE: this can be leveraged to gain privileges if there is a symlink to an init script.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2008-2936 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2008-2936. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (66)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-264)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2008-2936 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts