CVE-2004-1110 in Mtink
Summary
by MITRE
The mtink status monitor before 1.0.5 for Epson printers allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the epson temporary file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-1110 represents a critical file system security flaw affecting the mtink status monitor component of Epson printer software versions prior to 1.0.5. This issue manifests as a race condition vulnerability that enables local attackers to manipulate the printer status monitoring process through symbolic link manipulation. The flaw specifically targets the temporary file handling mechanism within the printer driver's status monitoring functionality, creating an opportunity for privilege escalation and arbitrary file overwrite attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper temporary file creation and handling practices within the mtink status monitor. When the printer status monitor attempts to create temporary files for processing printer status information, it fails to validate the existence of these temporary files before creating them. This creates a window of opportunity where a local attacker can establish symbolic links with the same names as the temporary files that the status monitor intends to create. The attacker's symbolic link can point to any location on the file system, allowing them to overwrite files with arbitrary content when the printer monitor process creates what it believes to be a temporary file but is actually a symbolic link pointing to a target file.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-367, which describes the "Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition" flaw, and also relates to CWE-22, "Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')". The attack vector specifically aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell", and T1068, "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation", as local users can leverage this weakness to gain elevated privileges through file system manipulation. The vulnerability also corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1548.001, "Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism: Bypass User Account Control", when attackers can overwrite system files that the printer driver process has elevated privileges to modify.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file overwrites, as it can be exploited to compromise the integrity of the printer driver installation and potentially the entire system. An attacker who successfully executes this attack can overwrite critical system files, configuration files, or even executable components of the printer driver, leading to system instability, privilege escalation, or persistent backdoor installation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the printer status monitoring process, which often runs with elevated privileges to properly interact with hardware components. This means that successful exploitation could result in attackers gaining administrative access to the system through the printer driver's elevated permissions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Epson printer drivers to version 1.0.5 or later, which includes proper temporary file handling mechanisms that prevent the symbolic link attack. Organizations should also implement proper file system permissions and access controls to limit the ability of local users to manipulate critical system components. The principle of least privilege should be enforced when running printer status monitoring processes, ensuring they operate with minimal required permissions. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for unauthorized symbolic link creation in temporary directories and implement file integrity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized file modifications. Network segmentation and user access controls should be enforced to limit local user access to printer driver components, reducing the attack surface for this type of exploitation.