CVE-2006-4493 in xbiff2
Summary
by MITRE
xbiff2 1.9 creates $HOME/.xbiff2rc in a user s home directory with insecure file permissions, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information such as login credentials. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4493 affects the xbiff2 application version 1.9, which is a mail notification utility commonly used in Unix-like operating systems. This flaw represents a classic insecure permissions issue that demonstrates poor security practices in application design and deployment. The xbiff2 utility is designed to monitor mailboxes and notify users of new messages, but its implementation contains a critical oversight in how it handles configuration file creation and access controls.
The technical flaw manifests when the xbiff2 application creates its configuration file at $HOME/.xbiff2rc in the user's home directory. This configuration file is created with insecure file permissions that allow any user in the system to read its contents. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly set file access controls during the creation process, resulting in a world-readable configuration file that may contain sensitive authentication information. This issue directly maps to CWE-732, which describes improper permissions for a resource, and represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as local users with access to the system can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to authentication credentials stored within the configuration file. This creates a significant risk for systems where multiple users share the same machine, as any user can potentially read another user's mail account credentials. The vulnerability enables privilege escalation attacks and can serve as a stepping stone for more extensive system compromise, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential access through insecure file permissions. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it operates at the local user level without requiring network connectivity or specialized tools.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through proper file permission management and application updates. System administrators should ensure that configuration files are created with restrictive permissions, typically 600 or 640, to prevent unauthorized access. The recommended approach involves implementing proper file access controls during application initialization, using umask settings, or explicitly setting file permissions after creation. Organizations should also consider implementing automated security scanning to identify similar insecure permission patterns across their infrastructure. Regular application updates and patch management processes are essential to address such issues, as the vulnerability represents a known flaw in older software versions that should be addressed through proper software lifecycle management. The remediation process should include verification that existing configuration files have appropriate permissions and that new files are created with secure access controls to prevent future exploitation attempts.