CVE-2002-1956 in Filer
Summary
by MITRE
ROX Filer 1.1.9 and 1.2 is installed with world writable permissions, which allows local users to write to arbitrary files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1956 affects ROX Filer versions 1.1.9 and 1.2, representing a critical permission misconfiguration issue that enables local privilege escalation through file system manipulation. This flaw stems from the improper installation of the application with world-writable permissions, creating an exploitable condition where any local user can gain unauthorized write access to arbitrary files within the system. The root cause lies in the application's installation process failing to properly set restrictive file permissions, allowing all users to modify or overwrite critical system files.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of weak file system permissions that should normally be restricted to administrative users only. When ROX Filer is installed with world-writable permissions, it creates a scenario where local users can modify the application's executable files, configuration files, or other system resources that the application depends upon. This misconfiguration directly violates the principle of least privilege and creates opportunities for malicious file manipulation that can lead to system compromise. The vulnerability operates at the file system level and represents a classic case of improper access control implementation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability allows local users to potentially escalate their privileges by modifying the ROX Filer application itself or related system files. An attacker could replace legitimate executable files with malicious versions, create backdoors, or modify configuration files to redirect application behavior. The impact extends beyond simple file modification as it provides a potential pathway for persistent system compromise. The vulnerability affects any system running the affected versions of ROX Filer and can be exploited by any local user, making it particularly concerning in multi-user environments where privilege separation is expected.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through file permission manipulation and persistence mechanisms. This weakness can be categorized under CWE-732 as improper limitation of a privilege to a resource, and CWE-276 as incorrect permission assignment. Organizations should immediately address this issue by ensuring proper file permissions are set during installation, typically requiring restrictive permissions such as 755 for executables and 644 for configuration files. The recommended mitigation includes reinstalling the application with proper permissions, implementing automated permission checks, and conducting regular security audits to identify similar misconfigurations across the system. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing file integrity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized modifications to critical system files.