From condordes@gentoo.org Fri Jul 2 18:11:31 2004 From: Joshua J. Berry To: gentoo-announce@lists.gentoo.org Cc: bugtraq@securityfocus.com, full-disclosure@lists.netsys.com, security-alerts@linuxsecurity.com Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2004 11:01:46 -0700 Subject: [ GLSA 200407-01 ] Esearch: Insecure temp file handling - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gentoo Linux Security Advisory GLSA 200407-01 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - http://security.gentoo.org/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Severity: Normal Title: Esearch: Insecure temp file handling Date: July 01, 2004 Bugs: #55424 ID: 200407-01 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Synopsis ======== The eupdatedb utility in esearch creates a file in /tmp without first checking for symlinks. This makes it possible for any user to create arbitrary files. Background ========== Esearch is a replacement for the Portage command "emerge search". It uses an index to speed up searching of the Portage tree. Affected packages ================= ------------------------------------------------------------------- Package / Vulnerable / Unaffected ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 app-portage/esearch <= 0.6.1 >= 0.6.2 Description =========== The eupdatedb utility uses a temporary file (/tmp/esearchdb.py.tmp) to indicate that the eupdatedb process is running. When run, eupdatedb checks to see if this file exists, but it does not check to see if it is a broken symlink. In the event that the file is a broken symlink, the script will create the file pointed to by the symlink, instead of printing an error and exiting. Impact ====== An attacker could create a symlink from /tmp/esearchdb.py.tmp to a nonexistent file (such as /etc/nologin), and the file will be created the next time esearchdb is run. Workaround ========== There is no known workaround at this time. All users should upgrade to the latest available version of esearch. Resolution ========== All users should upgrade to the latest available version of esearch, as follows: # emerge sync # emerge -pv ">=app-portage/esearch-0.6.2" # emerge ">=app-portage/esearch-0.6.2" Availability ============ This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website: http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200407-01.xml Concerns? ========= Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the confidentiality and security of our users machines is of utmost importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at http://bugs.gentoo.org. License ======= Copyright 2004 Gentoo Technologies, Inc; referenced text belongs to its owner(s). The contents of this document are licensed under the Creative Commons - Attribution / Share Alike license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0 [ Part 2, Application/PGP-SIGNATURE 196bytes. ] [ Unable to print this part. ]