---
title: "CVE-2008-5624\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-5624?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2008-5624

Publication date 17 December 2008

Last updated 24 July 2024

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

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## Description

PHP 5 before 5.2.7 does not properly initialize the page\_uid and page\_gid
global variables for use by the SAPI php\_getuid function, which allows
context-dependent attackers to bypass safe\_mode restrictions via variable
settings that are intended to be restricted to root, as demonstrated by a
setting of /etc for the error\_log variable.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-5624?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| php4 | 9.10 karmic | Not in release |
| 9.04 jaunty | Not in release |
| 8.10 intrepid | Not in release |
| 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release |
| 7.10 gutsy | Not in release |
| 6.06 LTS dapper | Ignored end of life |
| php5 | 9.10 karmic | Not affected |
| 9.04 jaunty | Not affected |
| 8.10 intrepid | Fixed 5.2.6-2ubuntu4.1 |
| 8.04 LTS hardy | Fixed 5.2.4-2ubuntu5.5 |
| 7.10 gutsy | Fixed 5.2.3-1ubuntu6.5 |
| 6.06 LTS dapper | Fixed 5.1.2-1ubuntu3.13 |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-5624?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [mdeslaur](https://launchpad.net/~mdeslaur)

the second upstream patch is for apache 1.x sapi
apache 1.x is still in Dapper, so we better include it

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| php5 | * Vendor:   <http://patch-tracking.debian.net/patch/series/view/php5/5.2.6.dfsg.1-2/BG-initializing-fix.patch> * Upstream:   <http://cvs.php.net/viewvc.cgi/php-src/ext/standard/basic_functions.c?r1=1.725.2.31.2.78&r2=1.725.2.31.2.79&diff_format=u> * Upstream:   <http://cvs.php.net/viewvc.cgi/php-src/sapi/apache/mod_php5.c?r1=1.19.2.7.2.15&r2=1.19.2.7.2.16&diff_format=u> |

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2008-5624)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5624)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2008-5624)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2008-5624)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-720-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-720-1)
+ PHP vulnerabilities
+ 12 February 2009

### Other references

* <http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=508021>
* <http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php#5.2.7>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5624>