CVE-2005-3647 in Folder Guard
Summary
by MITRE
folder guard allows local users to bypass protections by running from or installing to the temporary files directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3647 pertains to Folder Guard software, a file system protection tool designed to prevent unauthorized access and modifications to protected directories. This specific weakness represents a critical security flaw that undermines the fundamental purpose of the protection mechanism. The vulnerability arises from the software's insufficient validation of installation and execution paths, allowing local attackers to circumvent the intended security controls by leveraging the temporary files directory as an attack vector. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of privilege escalation and access control bypass issues, which are particularly concerning in security software that is expected to enforce strict protection boundaries.
The technical implementation of this flaw demonstrates a failure in path validation and access control enforcement within the Folder Guard application. When the software installs or executes from the temporary files directory, it fails to properly verify whether the execution context maintains the intended security boundaries. This allows malicious users to place malicious binaries or scripts in the temporary directory and execute them with elevated privileges or bypass the protection mechanisms that should normally prevent such actions. The vulnerability specifically exploits the trust relationship between the Folder Guard application and the temporary file system location, which is typically considered a safe execution environment but becomes compromised due to the software's inadequate security checks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for systems running Folder Guard, as it essentially provides a backdoor for local attackers to bypass security controls that should be protecting sensitive directories. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation to include potential data exposure, modification, and unauthorized access to protected resources. Attackers can leverage this weakness to install malicious software that appears to be legitimate Folder Guard components while actually performing unauthorized operations. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it targets the security software itself, potentially allowing attackers to completely neutralize the protection mechanisms that should be safeguarding the system.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper path validation and access control checks within the Folder Guard application. Security patches should enforce strict verification of installation and execution paths, ensuring that software cannot be executed from or installed to temporary directories without proper authorization and validation. System administrators should consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious activity in temporary directories and establishing more robust access controls for these areas. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management, and relates to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and regular security assessments to identify similar path traversal and access control bypass vulnerabilities in other security software components.