CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2011-4105

Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

Published: Feb 17, 2012 | Modified: Mar 08, 2014
CVSS 3.x
N/A
Source:
NVD
CVSS 2.x
1.9 LOW
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
Ubuntu
MEDIUM

LightDM before 1.0.6 allows local users to change ownership of arbitrary files via a symlink attack on ~/.Xauthority.

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

Name Vendor Start Version End Version
Lightdm Robert_ancell * 1.0.5 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.0.1 (including) 0.0.1 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.0.2 (including) 0.0.2 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.0.3 (including) 0.0.3 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.0.4 (including) 0.0.4 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.1.0 (including) 0.1.0 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.1.1 (including) 0.1.1 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.1.2 (including) 0.1.2 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.2.0 (including) 0.2.0 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.2.1 (including) 0.2.1 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.2.2 (including) 0.2.2 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.2.3 (including) 0.2.3 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.3.0 (including) 0.3.0 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.3.1 (including) 0.3.1 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.3.2 (including) 0.3.2 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.3.3 (including) 0.3.3 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.3.4 (including) 0.3.4 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.3.5 (including) 0.3.5 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.3.6 (including) 0.3.6 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.4.0 (including) 0.4.0 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.4.1 (including) 0.4.1 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.4.2 (including) 0.4.2 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.4.3 (including) 0.4.3 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.4.4 (including) 0.4.4 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.9.0 (including) 0.9.0 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.9.1 (including) 0.9.1 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.9.2 (including) 0.9.2 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.9.3 (including) 0.9.3 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.9.4 (including) 0.9.4 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.9.5 (including) 0.9.5 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.9.6 (including) 0.9.6 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.9.7 (including) 0.9.7 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 0.9.8 (including) 0.9.8 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 1.0.0 (including) 1.0.0 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 1.0.1 (including) 1.0.1 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 1.0.2 (including) 1.0.2 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 1.0.3 (including) 1.0.3 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 1.0.4 (including) 1.0.4 (including)
Lightdm Robert_ancell 1.1.0 (including) 1.1.0 (including)
Lightdm Ubuntu devel *
Lightdm Ubuntu natty *
Lightdm Ubuntu oneiric *
Lightdm Ubuntu precise *
Lightdm Ubuntu quantal *

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.

References