CVE-2008-3949

emacs/lisp/progmodes/python.el in Emacs 22.1 and 22.2 imports Python script from the current working directory during editing of a Python file, which allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a Trojan horse Python file.

Published: 2008-09-22 Last update: 2026-04-23 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Modified，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2008-3949 is rated Moderate Risk (43.3/100): CVSS High severity, with low exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.53%). Review affected assets and schedule 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-2008-3949

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 2026-06-15 0.07% 0.53% +0.46%
2 2025-03-17 0.04% 0.07% +0.03%
3 2023-03-07 — 0.04% —

Full EPSS history (4 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2008-3949

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
7.2 2.0 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C Click to expand
Access vector (AV:L)
Requires local access to the target system.
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.
 3.9 10.0 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2008-3949

OS Trackers for CVE-2008-3949

vendor priority summary link
debian unimportant CVE-2008-3949 unimportant priority: Debian including 1 source packages (xemacs21), 3 status rows across 3 suites (bookworm, bullseye, sid): resolved 3. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2008-3949
gentoo normal CVE-2008-3949: 1 GLSA(s) (200902-06), 2 atom(s) (app-editors/emacs, app-xemacs/edit-utils); latest impact normal. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2008-3949
redhat medium — https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2008-3949
ubuntu low CVE-2008-3949 low priority: Ubuntu including 2 source packages (emacs21, emacs22), 32 status rows across 16 suites (dapper, feisty, gutsy, hardy, intrepid, jaunty, karmic, lucid, maverick, natty, oneiric, precise, quantal, raring, saucy, upstream): DNE 17, ignored 7, not-affected 7, needs-triage 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-3949

Vendor comments (NVD) for CVE-2008-3949

  • Red Hat (2017-08-07T21:32:17.483)

    Not vulnerable. This issue did not affect the versions of the emacs package, as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1, 3, 4, or 5.

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2008-3949

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
suse suse_linux — cpe:2.3:o:suse:suse_linux:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2008-3949

cvelogic Threat Intelligence