CVE-2008-0947

Buffer overflow in the RPC library used by libgssrpc and kadmind in MIT Kerberos 5 (krb5) 1.4 through 1.6.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by triggering a large number of open file descriptors.

Published: 2008-03-19 Last update: 2026-04-23 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2008-0947 is rated High Risk (79.1/100): CVSS Critical severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 45.10%, 98th percentile). Core evidence: EPSS ranks this CVE among the most likely to be exploited in the near term. EPSS rose +12.89% over the last day, indicating growing attacker interest. Mandatory action: High exploitation likelihood—assess exposure and prioritize remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2008-0947

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-02-20 32.20% 45.10% +12.89%
2 2025-11-18 35.26% 32.20% -3.06%
3 2025-06-10 35.26%

Full EPSS history (15 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2008-0947

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
10.0 2.0 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C Click to expand
Access vector (AV:N)
Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:L)
Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:C)
Complete confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:C)
Complete integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:C)
Complete availability impact.
10.0 10.0 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2008-0947

OS Trackers for CVE-2008-0947

vendor priority summary link
debian medium CVE-2008-0947 medium priority: Debian including 1 source packages (krb5), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2008-0947
gentoo high CVE-2008-0947: 1 GLSA(s) (200803-31), 1 atom(s) (app-crypt/mit-krb5); latest impact high. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2008-0947
redhat medium https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2008-0947
suse critical CVE-2008-0947 severity critical: SUSE including 50 source package names (krb5-1.19.2-2.2, krb5-1.20.1-4.11, …), 51 product×package rows across 9 product lines (SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP1, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP2, … (9 product lines)): Fixed 51. https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2008-0947/
ubuntu medium CVE-2008-0947 medium priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (krb5), 5 status rows across 5 suites (dapper, edgy, feisty, gutsy, upstream): released 4, pending 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-0947

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2008-0947

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
mit kerberos_5 1.4 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.4.1 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.4.2 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.4.3 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.4.4 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.5 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.5.1 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.5.2 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.5.3 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.6 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.6.1 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.6.2 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
mit kerberos_5 1.6.3 cpe:2.3:a:mit:kerberos_5:1.6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2008-0947

URL Tags
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2008-03/msg00006.html
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=130497213107107&w=2
http://secunia.com/advisories/29424
http://secunia.com/advisories/29428
http://secunia.com/advisories/29435
http://secunia.com/advisories/29438
http://secunia.com/advisories/29451
http://secunia.com/advisories/29457
http://secunia.com/advisories/29462
http://secunia.com/advisories/29464
http://secunia.com/advisories/29516
http://secunia.com/advisories/29663
http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200803-31.xml
http://securityreason.com/securityalert/3752
http://support.novell.com/docs/Readmes/InfoDocument/patchbuilder/readme_5022520.html
http://support.novell.com/docs/Readmes/InfoDocument/patchbuilder/readme_5022542.html
http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/advisories/MITKRB5-SA-2008-002.txt
http://wiki.rpath.com/Advisories:rPSA-2008-0112
http://wiki.rpath.com/wiki/Advisories:rPSA-2008-0112
http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1524
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/374121 US Government Resource
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2008:069
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2008:070
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0164.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/489762/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/489784/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/489883/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/28302
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1019631
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-587-1
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA08-079B.html US Government Resource
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/0922/references
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/1102/references
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/41273
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10984
https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-March/msg00537.html
https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-March/msg00544.html
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