Vulnerabilities > CVE-2014-1838 - Link Following vulnerability in multiple products

047910
CVSS 4.4 - MEDIUM
Attack vector
LOCAL
Attack complexity
MEDIUM
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
PARTIAL
Integrity impact
PARTIAL
Availability impact
PARTIAL
local
opensuse
logilab
CWE-59
nessus
NVD
Published: 2014-03-11
Updated: 2018-10-30

Summary

The (1) extract_keys_from_pdf and (2) fill_pdf functions in pdf_ext.py in logilab-commons before 0.61.0 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files and possibly have other unspecified impact via a symlink attack on /tmp/toto.fdf.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
OS
Opensuse
2
Application
Logilab
4

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Symlink Attack
    An attacker positions a symbolic link in such a manner that the targeted user or application accesses the link's endpoint, assuming that it is accessing a file with the link's name. The endpoint file may be either output or input. If the file is output, the result is that the endpoint is modified, instead of a file at the intended location. Modifications to the endpoint file may include appending, overwriting, corrupting, changing permissions, or other modifications. In some variants of this attack the attacker may be able to control the change to a file while in other cases they cannot. The former is especially damaging since the attacker may be able to grant themselves increased privileges or insert false information, but the latter can also be damaging as it can expose sensitive information or corrupt or destroy vital system or application files. Alternatively, the endpoint file may serve as input to the targeted application. This can be used to feed malformed input into the target or to cause the target to process different information, possibly allowing the attacker to control the actions of the target or to cause the target to expose information to the attacker. Moreover, the actions taken on the endpoint file are undertaken with the permissions of the targeted user or application, which may exceed the permissions that the attacker would normally have.
  • Accessing, Modifying or Executing Executable Files
    An attack of this type exploits a system's configuration that allows an attacker to either directly access an executable file, for example through shell access; or in a possible worst case allows an attacker to upload a file and then execute it. Web servers, ftp servers, and message oriented middleware systems which have many integration points are particularly vulnerable, because both the programmers and the administrators must be in synch regarding the interfaces and the correct privileges for each interface.
  • Leverage Executable Code in Non-Executable Files
    An attack of this type exploits a system's trust in configuration and resource files, when the executable loads the resource (such as an image file or configuration file) the attacker has modified the file to either execute malicious code directly or manipulate the target process (e.g. application server) to execute based on the malicious configuration parameters. Since systems are increasingly interrelated mashing up resources from local and remote sources the possibility of this attack occurring is high. The attack can be directed at a client system, such as causing buffer overrun through loading seemingly benign image files, as in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-028 where specially crafted JPEG files could cause a buffer overrun once loaded into the browser. Another example targets clients reading pdf files. In this case the attacker simply appends javascript to the end of a legitimate url for a pdf (http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/danger-danger-danger/) http://path/to/pdf/file.pdf#whatever_name_you_want=javascript:your_code_here The client assumes that they are reading a pdf, but the attacker has modified the resource and loaded executable javascript into the client's browser process. The attack can also target server processes. The attacker edits the resource or configuration file, for example a web.xml file used to configure security permissions for a J2EE app server, adding role name "public" grants all users with the public role the ability to use the administration functionality. The server trusts its configuration file to be correct, but when they are manipulated, the attacker gains full control.
  • Manipulating Input to File System Calls
    An attacker manipulates inputs to the target software which the target software passes to file system calls in the OS. The goal is to gain access to, and perhaps modify, areas of the file system that the target software did not intend to be accessible.

Nessus

  • NASL familyFedora Local Security Checks
    NASL idFEDORA_2014-3300.NASL
    descriptionNew upstream pylint stack. disable-msg pragma is now just disable. Also watch out for more E1101 introspection false-positives. Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Fedora security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues.
    last seen2020-03-17
    modified2014-03-20
    plugin id73107
    published2014-03-20
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2014-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/73107
    titleFedora 20 : pylint-1.1.0-1.fc20 / python-astroid-1.0.1-2.fc20 / python-logilab-common-0.61.0-1.fc20 (2014-3300)
    code
    #%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80502
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#
# The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were  
# extracted from Fedora Security Advisory 2014-3300.
#

include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(73107);
  script_version("1.6");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2020/03/12");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2014-1838", "CVE-2014-1839");
  script_bugtraq_id(65253, 65899);
  script_xref(name:"FEDORA", value:"2014-3300");

  script_name(english:"Fedora 20 : pylint-1.1.0-1.fc20 / python-astroid-1.0.1-2.fc20 / python-logilab-common-0.61.0-1.fc20 (2014-3300)");
  script_summary(english:"Checks rpm output for the updated packages.");

  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"synopsis", 
    value:"The remote Fedora host is missing one or more security updates."
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"description", 
    value:
"New upstream pylint stack. disable-msg pragma is now just disable.
Also watch out for more E1101 introspection false-positives.

Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding
description block directly from the Fedora security advisory. Tenable
has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible
without introducing additional issues."
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"see_also",
    value:"https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1060304"
  );
  # https://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2014-March/130321.html
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"see_also",
    value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?edfbb459"
  );
  # https://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2014-March/130322.html
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"see_also",
    value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?1b23ae81"
  );
  # https://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2014-March/130323.html
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"see_also",
    value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?d1d1e202"
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"solution", 
    value:
"Update the affected pylint, python-astroid and / or
python-logilab-common packages."
  );
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:ND");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:fedoraproject:fedora:pylint");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:fedoraproject:fedora:python-astroid");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:fedoraproject:fedora:python-logilab-common");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:fedoraproject:fedora:20");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2014/03/01");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2014/03/20");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2014-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");
  script_family(english:"Fedora Local Security Checks");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/RedHat/release", "Host/RedHat/rpm-list");

  exit(0);
}


include("audit.inc");
include("global_settings.inc");
include("rpm.inc");

if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
release = get_kb_item("Host/RedHat/release");
if (isnull(release) || "Fedora" >!< release) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "Fedora");
os_ver = eregmatch(pattern: "Fedora.*release ([0-9]+)", string:release);
if (isnull(os_ver)) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_APP_VER, "Fedora");
os_ver = os_ver[1];
if (! ereg(pattern:"^20([^0-9]|$)", string:os_ver)) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "Fedora 20.x", "Fedora " + os_ver);

if (!get_kb_item("Host/RedHat/rpm-list")) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

cpu = get_kb_item("Host/cpu");
if (isnull(cpu)) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_ARCH);
if ("x86_64" >!< cpu && cpu !~ "^i[3-6]86$") audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_IMPLEMENTED, "Fedora", cpu);

flag = 0;
if (rpm_check(release:"FC20", reference:"pylint-1.1.0-1.fc20")) flag++;
if (rpm_check(release:"FC20", reference:"python-astroid-1.0.1-2.fc20")) flag++;
if (rpm_check(release:"FC20", reference:"python-logilab-common-0.61.0-1.fc20")) flag++;


if (flag)
{
  if (report_verbosity > 0) security_warning(port:0, extra:rpm_report_get());
  else security_warning(0);
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  tested = pkg_tests_get();
  if (tested) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_AFFECTED, tested);
  else audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_INSTALLED, "pylint / python-astroid / python-logilab-common");
}
  • NASL familySolaris Local Security Checks
    NASL idSOLARIS11_LOGILAB-COMMON_20140415.NASL
    descriptionThe remote Solaris system is missing necessary patches to address security updates : - The (1) extract_keys_from_pdf and (2) fill_pdf functions in pdf_ext.py in logilab-commons before 0.61.0 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files and possibly have other unspecified impact via a symlink attack on /tmp/ toto.fdf. (CVE-2014-1838) - The Execute class in shellutils in logilab-commons before 0.61.0 uses tempfile.mktemp, which allows local users to have an unspecified impact by pre-creating the temporary file. (CVE-2014-1839)
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id80700
    published2015-01-19
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2015-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/80700
    titleOracle Solaris Third-Party Patch Update : logilab-common (multiple_symlink_attack_vulnerabilities_in)
    code
    #
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#
# The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were
# extracted from the Oracle Third Party software advisories.
#
include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(80700);
  script_version("1.2");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2018/11/15 20:50:25");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2014-1838", "CVE-2014-1839");

  script_name(english:"Oracle Solaris Third-Party Patch Update : logilab-common (multiple_symlink_attack_vulnerabilities_in)");
  script_summary(english:"Check for the 'entire' version.");

  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"synopsis", 
    value:
"The remote Solaris system is missing a security patch for third-party
software."
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"description", 
    value:
"The remote Solaris system is missing necessary patches to address
security updates :

  - The (1) extract_keys_from_pdf and (2) fill_pdf functions
    in pdf_ext.py in logilab-commons before 0.61.0 allows
    local users to overwrite arbitrary files and possibly
    have other unspecified impact via a symlink attack on
    /tmp/ toto.fdf. (CVE-2014-1838)

  - The Execute class in shellutils in logilab-commons
    before 0.61.0 uses tempfile.mktemp, which allows local
    users to have an unspecified impact by pre-creating the
    temporary file. (CVE-2014-1839)"
  );
  # https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/thirdparty-patch-map-1482893.html
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"see_also",
    value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?4a913f44"
  );
  # https://blogs.oracle.com/sunsecurity/multiple-symlink-attack-vulnerabilities-in-logilab-commons
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"see_also",
    value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?2520ab0f"
  );
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:"Upgrade to Solaris 11.1.18.5.0.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:oracle:solaris:11.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:oracle:solaris:logilab-common");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2014/04/15");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2015/01/19");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2015-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.");
  script_family(english:"Solaris Local Security Checks");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/Solaris11/release", "Host/Solaris11/pkg-list");

  exit(0);
}


include("audit.inc");
include("global_settings.inc");
include("misc_func.inc");
include("solaris.inc");

if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
release = get_kb_item("Host/Solaris11/release");
if (isnull(release)) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "Solaris11");
pkg_list = solaris_pkg_list_leaves();
if (isnull (pkg_list)) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING, "Solaris pkg-list packages");

if (empty_or_null(egrep(string:pkg_list, pattern:"^logilab-common$"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_INSTALLED, "logilab-common");

flag = 0;

if (solaris_check_release(release:"0.5.11-0.175.1.18.0.5.0", sru:"SRU 11.1.18.5.0") > 0) flag++;

if (flag)
{
  error_extra = 'Affected package : logilab-common\n' + solaris_get_report2();
  error_extra = ereg_replace(pattern:"version", replace:"OS version", string:error_extra);
  if (report_verbosity > 0) security_warning(port:0, extra:error_extra);
  else security_warning(0);
  exit(0);
}
else audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_AFFECTED, "logilab-common");
  • NASL familySuSE Local Security Checks
    NASL idOPENSUSE-2014-175.NASL
    descriptionThe Python logilab-common module was updated to fix several temporary file problems, one in the PDF generator (CVE-2014-1838) and one in the shellutils helper (CVE-2014-1839).
    last seen2020-06-05
    modified2014-06-13
    plugin id75271
    published2014-06-13
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2014-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/75271
    titleopenSUSE Security Update : python-logilab-common (openSUSE-SU-2014:0306-1)
    code
    #%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80502
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#
# The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were
# extracted from openSUSE Security Update openSUSE-2014-175.
#
# The text description of this plugin is (C) SUSE LLC.
#

include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(75271);
  script_version("1.4");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2020/06/04");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2014-1838", "CVE-2014-1839");
  script_bugtraq_id(65253);

  script_name(english:"openSUSE Security Update : python-logilab-common (openSUSE-SU-2014:0306-1)");
  script_summary(english:"Check for the openSUSE-2014-175 patch");

  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"synopsis", 
    value:"The remote openSUSE host is missing a security update."
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"description", 
    value:
"The Python logilab-common module was updated to fix several temporary
file problems, one in the PDF generator (CVE-2014-1838) and one in the
shellutils helper (CVE-2014-1839)."
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"see_also",
    value:"https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=861822"
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"see_also",
    value:"https://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2014-02/msg00085.html"
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"solution", 
    value:"Update the affected python-logilab-common package."
  );
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:ND");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:python-logilab-common");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:python3-logilab-common");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:novell:opensuse:12.3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:novell:opensuse:13.1");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2014/02/19");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2014/06/13");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2014-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");
  script_family(english:"SuSE Local Security Checks");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/SuSE/release", "Host/SuSE/rpm-list");

  exit(0);
}


include("audit.inc");
include("global_settings.inc");
include("rpm.inc");

if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
release = get_kb_item("Host/SuSE/release");
if (isnull(release) || release =~ "^(SLED|SLES)") audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "openSUSE");
if (release !~ "^(SUSE12\.3|SUSE13\.1)$") audit(AUDIT_OS_RELEASE_NOT, "openSUSE", "12.3 / 13.1", release);
if (!get_kb_item("Host/SuSE/rpm-list")) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);



flag = 0;

if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE12.3", reference:"python-logilab-common-0.58.0-4.4.1") ) flag++;
if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE12.3", reference:"python3-logilab-common-0.58.0-4.4.1") ) flag++;
if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE13.1", reference:"python-logilab-common-0.58.0-7.4.1") ) flag++;

if (flag)
{
  if (report_verbosity > 0) security_warning(port:0, extra:rpm_report_get());
  else security_warning(0);
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  tested = pkg_tests_get();
  if (tested) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_AFFECTED, tested);
  else audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_INSTALLED, "python-logilab-common");
}

References