CVE-2005-0119 in helvis
Summary
by MITRE
helvis 1.8h2_1 and earlier allows local users to recover and read the files of other users via the elvrec setuid program.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0119 affects helvis version 1.8h2_1 and earlier, presenting a critical privilege escalation and information disclosure risk through the elvrec setuid program. This flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in access control mechanisms within the helvis application, where the setuid program lacks proper validation of user permissions and file access controls. The vulnerability specifically enables local users to bypass normal file system permissions and access files belonging to other users on the same system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of file operations within the elvrec program, which runs with elevated privileges due to its setuid bit being enabled. When users interact with the helvis application, particularly through the elvrec component, the program fails to properly validate whether the requesting user has legitimate access rights to the target files. This design flaw allows malicious local users to exploit the setuid execution context to read files that should normally be restricted to specific user groups or owners, effectively undermining the principle of least privilege and creating an information disclosure pathway.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with unauthorized access to potentially sensitive user data, configuration files, or system information that could be leveraged for further exploitation. Attackers could use this vulnerability to gather credentials, system configurations, or personal data from other users, potentially leading to broader system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no network access and can be exploited locally, making it difficult to detect through network monitoring tools and potentially enabling attackers to establish persistent access to compromised systems.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper file permissions, and represents a classic example of inadequate privilege separation in setuid applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this flaw maps to privilege escalation techniques under T1068 and information gathering activities under T1083, as it enables attackers to both elevate their privileges and discover sensitive information about other users' files and system configurations. The vulnerability also demonstrates weaknesses in secure coding practices related to file access control and privilege management in Unix-like systems. Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to helvis versions that address this vulnerability, reviewing and hardening setuid program implementations, and ensuring proper file system permissions are enforced to prevent unauthorized access to user data.
The exploitation of this vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper privilege management in system applications and the need for comprehensive security reviews of setuid programs. Security practitioners should conduct regular audits of setuid applications to identify similar privilege escalation vectors and ensure that all file access operations properly validate user credentials and permissions before granting access to system resources. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for unauthorized file access patterns and implement appropriate logging and alerting mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts of similar vulnerabilities.