CVE-2002-0377 in Gaim
Summary
by MITRE
Gaim 0.57 stores sensitive information in world-readable and group-writable files in the /tmp directory, which allows local users to access MSN web email accounts of other users who run Gaim by reading authentication information from the files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-0377 represents a critical security flaw in the Gaim instant messaging client version 0.57 that exposes sensitive authentication data to unauthorized local users. This issue stems from improper file permission handling within the application's temporary file storage mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects the /tmp directory where Gaim creates temporary files containing authentication credentials for MSN web email accounts. These files are created with world-readable permissions, meaning any user on the system can access them, combined with group-writable permissions that allow modification by other users within the same group. The flaw demonstrates poor privilege separation and inadequate secure coding practices that violate fundamental security principles.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves Gaim's failure to properly secure temporary files containing authentication tokens and session information. When users authenticate to MSN services through the Gaim client, the application stores this sensitive information in temporary files within the /tmp directory without appropriate access controls. The combination of world-readable and group-writable permissions creates an exploitable condition where local attackers can read authentication data from these files. This represents a classic case of insecure temporary file handling that aligns with CWE-377, which addresses insecure temporary file creation practices. The vulnerability operates at the file system level and demonstrates how improper permission settings can lead to privilege escalation and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables persistent unauthorized access to users' MSN email accounts. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain access to private communications, personal information, and potentially use the stolen credentials for further attacks within the email ecosystem. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no network connectivity or external attack vectors, relying instead on local privilege escalation through file system misconfiguration. This allows attackers to compromise multiple users' accounts on the same system, creating a significant risk for shared computing environments such as public terminals, multi-user systems, or networked workstations. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1003.001 for OS credential dumping, where attackers extract credentials from memory or file storage.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus on implementing proper file permission controls and secure temporary file handling practices. System administrators should immediately update Gaim to a patched version that properly secures temporary files with restrictive permissions, typically limiting access to the owning user only. The application should create temporary files with permissions set to 600 or more restrictive, ensuring that only the process owner can read or write to these files. Additionally, organizations should implement regular security audits to identify and remediate similar issues in other applications that may store sensitive information in temporary directories. The fix should also include proper cleanup of temporary files after use, preventing the accumulation of sensitive data on the system. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and demonstrates why secure file handling should be a fundamental requirement in all software development processes.