Description
lynx 2.8.6dev.15 and earlier, when advanced mode is enabled and lynx is configured as a URL handler, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted lynxcgi: URL, a related issue to CVE-2005-2929. NOTE: this might only be a vulnerability in limited deployments that have defined a lynxcgi: handler.
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 | 2.8.8rel.2-4.13 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10329-1 |
Advisories 2
- RHSA-2008:0965 Red Hat Security Advisory: lynx security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10329-1 lynx-2.8.8rel.2-4.13 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- FEDORA-2008-9597 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2008:0965 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20081009 lynx lynxcgi handler flaw mailing-list
- 32967 third-party-advisory
- MDVSA-2008:218 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SR:2009:002 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2008-9550 vendor-advisory
- 33568 third-party-advisory
- lynx-lynxcgi-code-execution(46228) vdb-entry
- MDVSA-2008:217 vendor-advisory
- 1021105 vdb-entry
- 32416 third-party-advisory
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:11204 vdb-entry signature