[ GLSA 200506-08 ] GNU shtool, ocaml-mysql: Insecure temporary file creation

[GLSA]

Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Title: GNU shtool, ocaml-mysql: Insecure temporary file creation (GLSA 200506-08)
Severity: normal
Exploitable: local
Date: June 11, 2005
Bug(s): #93782, #93784
ID: 200506-08

Synopsis

GNU shtool and ocaml-mysql are vulnerable to symlink attacks, potentially allowing a local user to overwrite arbitrary files.

Background

GNU shtool is a compilation of small shell scripts into a single shell tool. The ocaml-mysql package includes the GNU shtool code.

Affected Packages

Package: dev-util/shtool
Vulnerable: < 2.0.1-r2
Unaffected: >= 2.0.1-r2
Architectures: All supported architectures

Package: dev-ml/ocaml-mysql
Vulnerable: < 1.0.3-r1
Unaffected: >= 1.0.3-r1
Architectures: All supported architectures


Description

Eric Romang has discovered that GNU shtool insecurely creates temporary files with predictable filenames (CAN-2005-1751). On closer inspection, Gentoo Security discovered that the shtool temporary file, once created, was being reused insecurely (CAN-2005-1759).

Impact

A local attacker could create symbolic links in the temporary files directory, pointing to a valid file somewhere on the filesystem. When a GNU shtool script is executed, this would result in the file being overwritten with the rights of the user running the script, which could be the root user.

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All GNU shtool users should upgrade to the latest version: