CVE-2014-1638

(1) debian/postrm and (2) debian/localepurge.config in localepurge before 0.7.3.2 use tempfile to create a safe temporary file but appends a suffix to the original filename and writes to this new filename, which allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the new filename.

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://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=736359
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/01/22/3
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/01/22/4
• http://www.osvdb.org/102379
• http://www.osvdb.org/102381
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/65098
• https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/90669