CVE-2005-0118 in helvis
Summary
by MITRE
helvis 1.8h2_1 and earlier stores recovery files in world readable directories with world readable permissions which allows local users to read the recovered files of other users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0118 affects helvis version 1.8h2_1 and earlier, presenting a critical security flaw in how the application handles file permissions during recovery operations. This issue stems from the application's improper handling of temporary or recovery files that are created during data recovery processes. When helvis generates recovery files, it places them in directories that have world-readable permissions, meaning any local user on the system can access these files regardless of their user privileges or ownership status.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly set file access controls when creating recovery files. Recovery files typically contain sensitive data that may include personal information, system configurations, or other confidential content that should remain protected from unauthorized access. The flaw occurs because the software does not enforce proper discretionary access control mechanisms, specifically failing to set appropriate file permissions that would restrict access to only the intended user or process. This misconfiguration creates a privilege escalation scenario where local users can exploit the world-readable permissions to access data belonging to other users, effectively bypassing the application's built-in security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege and data isolation. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform information disclosure attacks, potentially accessing sensitive user data, system configurations, or personal information that should remain private. The vulnerability affects all local users on the system, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where users may have different levels of access rights and security requirements. The implications are especially severe in enterprise environments where multiple users share the same system or where the application might be used to recover data from systems with varying security postures.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-732, which describes improper permission assignment, and represents a clear violation of proper access control mechanisms that should be implemented at the application level. The flaw also relates to ATT&CK technique T1005, which involves data from local system, as attackers can harvest sensitive information through this unauthorized access path. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to a patched version of helvis that properly sets file permissions for recovery files, ensuring that recovery files are created with restrictive permissions such as 600 or 640, and that they are placed in directories with appropriate access controls. Additionally, system administrators should conduct audits to identify any existing recovery files that may have been created with insecure permissions and remediate them accordingly. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper file permission management in security-sensitive applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing during application development phases.