CVE-2011-0461

/etc/init.d/boot.localfs in the aaa_base package before 11.2-43.48.1 in SUSE openSUSE 11.2, and before 11.3-8.7.1 in openSUSE 11.3, allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on /dev/shm/mtab.

Weakness

The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.

Affected Software

Potential Mitigations

• Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
• Denying access to a file can prevent an attacker from replacing that file with a link to a sensitive file. Ensure good compartmentalization in the system to provide protected areas that can be trusted.

Related Attack Patterns

• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/132.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/17.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/35.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/76.html

References

• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2011-04/msg00000.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2011-05/msg00005.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2011-03/msg00007.html
• http://support.novell.com/security/cve/CVE-2011-0461.html
• https://bugzilla.novell.com/665479