CVE-2001-0430 in Exuberant Ctags
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in exuberant-ctags before 3.2.4-0.1 insecurely creates temporary files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0430 affects exuberant-ctags versions prior to 3.2.4-0.1 and represents a significant security flaw in how the software handles temporary file creation during its operation. This issue falls under the category of insecure temporary file handling, which has been classified under CWE-377 as the creation of temporary files with insecure permissions or locations. The flaw specifically manifests when the ctags utility creates temporary files without proper security measures, potentially allowing local users to exploit this weakness for privilege escalation or information disclosure attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly secure temporary file creation processes. When exuberant-ctags generates temporary files, it does not adequately control the file permissions or directory location where these files are stored. This insecure practice creates opportunities for malicious users to predict temporary file names, manipulate file contents, or even replace temporary files with malicious alternatives before the application processes them. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the system level where the application may have elevated privileges, making the potential impact more severe.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes systems running affected versions of exuberant-ctags to several attack vectors that align with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to system resources or escalate their privileges within the operating environment. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially allow full system compromise when the vulnerable application executes with elevated privileges, making this a critical security concern for system administrators managing development environments or automated build systems that rely on ctags functionality.
The remediation strategy for CVE-2001-0430 involves upgrading to exuberant-ctags version 3.2.4-0.1 or later, which implements proper temporary file handling mechanisms. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as restricting write permissions to temporary directories, using secure temporary file creation functions that guarantee proper file permissions, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments of their development toolchains. System administrators should consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized temporary file creation activities and ensure that all development tools are regularly updated to address known security vulnerabilities. The fix addresses the root cause by ensuring that temporary files are created with appropriate permissions and in secure locations that prevent unauthorized access or manipulation by malicious actors.