CVE-2008-5508

Name: CVE-2008-5508
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2008-12-17T23:30:00.593+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

UnknownEPSS 2.22%

Last modified Jun 16, 2026

CVE-2008-5508 is a vulnerability of currently unknown severity. Mozilla Firefox 3.x before 3.0.5 and 2.x before 2.0.0.19, Thunderbird 2.x before 2.0.0.19, and SeaMonkey 1.x before 1.1.14 does not properly parse URLs with leading whitespace or control characters, which might allow remote attackers to misrepresent URLs and simplify phishing attacks.. EPSS estimates a 2.22% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

Mozilla Firefox 3.x before 3.0.5 and 2.x before 2.0.0.19, Thunderbird 2.x before 2.0.0.19, and SeaMonkey 1.x before 1.1.14 does not properly parse URLs with leading whitespace or control characters, which might allow remote attackers to misrepresent URLs and simplify phishing attacks.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

2.22%

80.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-20

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Mozilla	Firefox	>= 2.0, < 2.0.0.19
Mozilla	Firefox	>= 3.0, < 3.0.5
Mozilla	Seamonkey	>= 1.0, < 1.1.14
Mozilla	Thunderbird	>= 2.0, < 2.0.0.19
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	6.06
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	7.10
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	8.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	8.10
Debian	Debian Linux	4.0
Debian	Debian Linux	5.0

References

http://secunia.com/advisories/33184Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33188Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33189Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33203Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33204Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33205Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33216Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33231Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33408Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33415Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33421Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33433Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33434Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33523Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33547Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/34501Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/35080Third Party Advisory
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-256408-1Broken Link
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-258748-1Broken Link
http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1696Third Party Advisory
http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1697Third Party Advisory
http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1704Third Party Advisory
http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1707Third Party Advisory
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2008:244Third Party Advisory
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2008:245Third Party Advisory
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:012Third Party Advisory
http://www.mozilla.org/security/announce/2008/mfsa2008-66.htmlVendor Advisory
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-1036.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-1037.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2009-0002.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/32882Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1021426Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-690-2Third Party Advisory
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-701-1Third Party Advisory
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-701-2Third Party Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0977Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=425046Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=460803Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/47414Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A11040Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/690-1/Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33184Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33188Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33189Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33203Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33204Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33205Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33216Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33231Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33408Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33415Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33421Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33433Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33434Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33523Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33547Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/34501Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/35080Third Party Advisory
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-256408-1Broken Link
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-258748-1Broken Link
http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1696Third Party Advisory
http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1697Third Party Advisory
http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1704Third Party Advisory
http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1707Third Party Advisory
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2008:244Third Party Advisory
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2008:245Third Party Advisory
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:012Third Party Advisory
http://www.mozilla.org/security/announce/2008/mfsa2008-66.htmlVendor Advisory
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-1036.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-1037.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2009-0002.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/32882Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1021426Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-690-2Third Party Advisory
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-701-1Third Party Advisory
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-701-2Third Party Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0977Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=425046Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=460803Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/47414Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A11040Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/690-1/Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Dec 17, 2008
Last Modified: Jun 16, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2008-5508?

How severe is CVE-2008-5508?

Severity scoring for CVE-2008-5508 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 2.22% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2008-5508?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2008-5508?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST