CVE-2015-5701

mktexlsr revision 36855, and before revision 36626 as packaged in texlive allows local users to write to arbitrary files via a symlink attack. NOTE: this vulnerability exists due to the reversion of a fix of CVE-2015-5700.

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://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/07/30/6
• https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=775139
• https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1181167
• https://www.tug.org/svn/texlive/trunk/Build/source/texk/kpathsea/mktexlsr?r1=19613\u0026r2=22885
• https://www.tug.org/svn/texlive/trunk/Build/source/texk/kpathsea/mktexlsr?view=log