In HTSlib 1.8, a race condition in cram/cram_io.c might allow local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Htslib | Htslib | 1.8 (including) | 1.8 (including) |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | artful | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | cosmic | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | devel | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | disco | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | eoan | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | esm-apps/bionic | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | esm-apps/focal | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | esm-apps/jammy | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | esm-apps/noble | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | esm-apps/xenial | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | esm-infra-legacy/trusty | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | focal | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | groovy | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | hirsute | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | impish | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | kinetic | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | lunar | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | mantic | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | noble | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | oracular | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | plucky | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | questing | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | trusty/esm | * |
| Htslib | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
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