CVE-2005-1941 in SilverCity
Summary
by MITRE
SilverCity before 0.9.5-r1 installs (1) cgi-styler-form.py, (2) cgi-styler.py, and (3) source2html.py with read and write world permissions, which allows local users to execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-1941 represents a critical privilege escalation issue within the SilverCity web application framework version 0.9.5 and earlier. This flaw stems from improper file permission settings during the installation process, creating a security risk that allows local attackers to gain unauthorized code execution capabilities. The affected components include three specific python scripts that are installed with overly permissive world read and write permissions, fundamentally compromising the system's integrity and security posture.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the installation procedure where the cgi-styler-form.py, cgi-styler.py, and source2html.py files are deployed without proper access controls. These scripts, when installed with world-writable permissions, enable any local user to modify or replace these critical components with malicious code. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-732, which addresses incorrect permissions for critical resources, and represents a classic case of inadequate privilege management in software deployment. The flaw operates at the file system level where the installation process fails to enforce proper security controls, creating a persistent backdoor for code injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a persistent foothold within the system that can be leveraged for further compromise. Local users who gain access to these modified scripts can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no network access or external attack vectors, making it exploitable through simple local system access. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting local system privileges to gain unauthorized access, and T1548.001, which covers abuse of elevated privileges for persistence.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement remediation measures including changing the file permissions of the identified scripts to restrictive settings, typically 644 or 600 for user-owned files. The recommended mitigation strategy involves re-installing the SilverCity framework with proper permissions, ensuring that only authorized users and processes have write access to these components. Additionally, system administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of file permissions across all installed applications to identify similar issues that might exist in other software packages. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized modifications to critical system files, and regular vulnerability assessments should be performed to identify and address similar permission-related issues in legacy software deployments. The remediation process should also include updating to SilverCity version 0.9.5 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability.