CVE-2001-0140 in Arpwatch
Summary
by MITRE
arpwatch 2.1a4 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack in some configurations.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0140 affects arpwatch version 2.1a4 and represents a classic file system security flaw that exploits symbolic link manipulation to achieve unauthorized file operations. This issue resides within the network monitoring utility arpwatch which is designed to monitor arp requests and responses on local networks to maintain network topology awareness. The vulnerability specifically manifests when arpwatch operates in configurations where it processes network data that could be manipulated by local users through symlink attacks.
The technical flaw occurs because arpwatch fails to properly validate file paths when creating or updating files in its operational directories. Local users can exploit this by creating symbolic links with specific names that match the expected file paths used by arpwatch during its normal operation. When arpwatch attempts to write data to these locations, it follows the symbolic links and writes to the target files specified by the attacker rather than the intended locations. This represents a direct violation of file system security principles and enables arbitrary file overwrite capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for systems running vulnerable versions of arpwatch, as it allows local users to potentially overwrite critical system files, configuration files, or log files with malicious content. An attacker could leverage this to modify system configuration data, inject malicious code into log files, or overwrite important binaries to achieve privilege escalation. The attack requires local access to the system but can be particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where users have legitimate access to the system but should not have the ability to modify critical system files.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-59 and CWE-22 categories from the Common Weakness Enumeration, specifically addressing improper handling of symbolic links and path traversal issues. The attack pattern follows the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.007 for execution through symbolic link manipulation and T1078 for legitimate credentials use. Organizations should ensure that all instances of arpwatch are updated to versions that properly validate file paths and implement proper symlink checking mechanisms. The recommended mitigation involves upgrading to patched versions of arpwatch, implementing proper file system permissions, and conducting regular security audits to identify potential symlink attack vectors in network monitoring tools.