Vulnerabilities
Misconfiguration
Compliance
CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2012-4455

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

Published: Oct 10, 2012 | Modified: Apr 11, 2025
CVSS 3.x
N/A
Source:
NVD
CVSS 2.x
6.2 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
RedHat/V2
6.2 MODERATE
AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
RedHat/V3
Ubuntu
LOW
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Additional information
NVDhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4455
CWEhttps://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/59.html

openCryptoki 2.4.1 allows local users to create or set world-writable permissions on arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the (1) LCK..opencryptoki or (2) LCK..opencryptoki_stdll file in /var/lock/.

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

NameVendorStart VersionEnd Version
OpencryptokiOpencryptoki_project2.4.1 (including)2.4.1 (including)
OpencryptokiUbuntuartful*
OpencryptokiUbuntuhardy*
OpencryptokiUbuntulucid*
OpencryptokiUbuntunatty*
OpencryptokiUbuntuoneiric*
OpencryptokiUbuntuprecise*
OpencryptokiUbuntuquantal*
OpencryptokiUbunturaring*
OpencryptokiUbuntusaucy*
OpencryptokiUbuntutrusty*
OpencryptokiUbuntuupstream*
OpencryptokiUbuntuutopic*
OpencryptokiUbuntuvivid*
OpencryptokiUbuntuvivid/ubuntu-core*
OpencryptokiUbuntuwily*
OpencryptokiUbuntuyakkety*
OpencryptokiUbuntuzesty*

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

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