CVE-2008-7291 in gri
Summary
by MITRE
gri before 2.12.18 generates temporary files in an insecure way.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-7291 affects the gri text processing system prior to version 2.12.18, specifically concerning how the software handles temporary file creation. This issue represents a significant security weakness that could be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to system resources or manipulate sensitive data. The gri system, which is used for processing and formatting text documents, creates temporary files during its operation but does so without implementing proper security measures to prevent predictable file locations or insecure permissions.
The technical flaw stems from the insecure generation of temporary files, which typically occurs when applications create temporary files in predictable locations such as the system's temporary directory without proper randomization or secure permission settings. This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure temporary file handling, a common pattern that can lead to various attack vectors including privilege escalation, data manipulation, or information disclosure. The insecure temporary file creation mechanism allows attackers to potentially predict file names, locations, or manipulate file contents before the legitimate process accesses them, creating opportunities for race condition attacks or file replacement exploits.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file handling issues, as it can enable attackers to execute arbitrary code or gain elevated privileges on the affected system. When temporary files are created without proper security controls, they may be susceptible to symbolic link attacks, where an attacker creates a symbolic link to a target file before the legitimate process creates its temporary file. This can result in the target file being overwritten with malicious content or accessed by unauthorized processes. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multi-user environments where different users might be able to influence the temporary file creation process or where the application runs with elevated privileges.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with several common attack patterns documented in the attack framework, including privilege escalation techniques and information disclosure methods. From a compliance perspective, this issue would likely violate security standards such as those outlined in the CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) catalog, specifically CWE-377 which addresses insecure temporary files, and CWE-379 which covers creation of temporary files and directories with insecure permissions. Organizations using gri systems should implement immediate mitigations including updating to version 2.12.18 or later, ensuring proper temporary file handling mechanisms, and conducting security audits of all applications that create temporary files. The recommended approach includes implementing secure temporary file creation practices such as using secure randomization of file names, setting appropriate file permissions, and ensuring temporary files are created in secure directories with restricted access controls. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for potential exploitation attempts and implement proper logging mechanisms to detect unauthorized temporary file access or manipulation activities.