Description
Untrusted search path vulnerability in Lynx before 2.8.6rel.4 allows local users to execute arbitrary code via malicious (1) .mailcap and (2) mime.types files in the current working directory.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 5 | lynx | 2.8.5-28.1.el5_2.1 | RHSA-2008:0965 |
| RHEL 4 | lynx | 2.8.5-18.2.el4_7.1 | RHSA-2008:0965 |
| RHEL 3 | lynx | 2.8.5-11.3 | RHSA-2008:0965 |
| RHEL 2 | lynx | 2.8.4-18.1.3 | RHSA-2008:0965 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | lynx | 2.9.0~dev.9-1.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:11033-1 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- Lynx 2.8 - '.mailcap'/'.mime.type' Local Code Execution EDB-32530 · remote · Nov 3, 2008 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 2
- RHSA-2008:0965 Red Hat Security Advisory: lynx security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:11033-1 lynx-2.9.0~dev.9-1.2 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- [oss-security] 20081025 CVE request: lynx (old) .mailcap handling flaw mailing-list
- 31917 vdb-entry
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:9719 vdb-entry signature
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=214205
- RHSA-2008:0965 vendor-advisory
- 1021107 vdb-entry
- 32407 third-party-advisory
- SUSE-SR:2009:002 vendor-advisory
- 33568 third-party-advisory
- MDVSA-2008:217 vendor-advisory
- http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=396949
- lynx-mailcap-mimetype-code-execution(46132) vdb-entry
- 32416 third-party-advisory