CVE-2005-1878 in GIPTables Firewall
Summary
by MITRE
GIPTables Firewall 1.1 and earlier allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the temp.ip.addresses temporary file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1878 affects GIPTables Firewall version 1.1 and earlier, presenting a significant security risk through a symlink attack mechanism that enables local users to overwrite arbitrary files on the system. This flaw resides in the improper handling of temporary files during the firewall configuration process, specifically concerning the temp.ip.addresses file that serves as a temporary storage location for IP address information. The vulnerability represents a classic race condition and privilege escalation issue where a local attacker can manipulate the system's temporary file creation process to gain unauthorized write access to critical system files.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the insecure temporary file creation pattern common in Unix-like systems where applications create temporary files without proper security measures. When GIPTables Firewall executes its configuration routines, it generates a temporary file named temp.ip.addresses in a predictable location, typically within the /tmp directory or a similar temporary filesystem. A local attacker can create a symbolic link with the same name in the target directory before the application attempts to create the file, causing the application to write data to the attacker-controlled symlink target instead of the intended temporary file location. This technique leverages the fundamental security principle that temporary files should be created with appropriate permissions and atomic operations to prevent such attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file overwriting capabilities, as it provides attackers with potential paths to escalate privileges and compromise system integrity. Local users who can execute the GIPTables Firewall application can leverage this weakness to overwrite files with malicious content, potentially targeting configuration files, system binaries, or other sensitive data. The attack vector demonstrates a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and proper file handling security practices, as the application fails to implement secure temporary file creation mechanisms that would prevent such symlink-based attacks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which describes a race condition in file operations, and represents a common pattern of insecure temporary file handling that has been documented across numerous applications and systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of secure temporary file creation practices within the GIPTables Firewall application. System administrators should upgrade to versions of GIPTables Firewall that address this vulnerability, as the original versions are no longer supported and contain multiple security weaknesses. The recommended approach involves implementing atomic file creation using secure system calls such as mkstemp() or similar functions that guarantee exclusive creation of temporary files with appropriate permissions. Additionally, the application should avoid creating temporary files in world-writable directories and should verify file ownership and permissions before writing to temporary locations. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized file modifications, as this vulnerability can be exploited to maintain persistent access to compromised systems. The remediation process should include comprehensive security testing to ensure that similar temporary file handling vulnerabilities do not exist in other system components, and adherence to security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and NIST guidelines for secure software development.