CVE-2011-0458 in Picasa
Summary
by MITRE
Untrusted search path vulnerability in the Locate on Disk feature in Google Picasa before 3.8 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse executable file in the current working directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0458 represents a classic untrusted search path issue that affected Google Picasa versions prior to 3.8. This flaw resides within the Locate on Disk feature of the popular photo management software, creating a privilege escalation vector that could be exploited by local attackers. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate the execution path when searching for files, allowing malicious actors to place specially crafted executable files in the current working directory and potentially execute them with elevated privileges.
This particular vulnerability aligns with CWE-427, which specifically addresses uncontrolled search path dependencies in software applications. The flaw demonstrates how applications that rely on implicit path resolution without proper sanitization can become vulnerable to Trojan horse attacks. When Picasa's Locate on Disk feature executes, it searches for files in the current working directory without adequately verifying the legitimacy of the found executables, creating an environment where attackers can manipulate the search results through carefully placed malicious files.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass broader security implications for systems running affected versions of Picasa. Local users who can write to the directory where Picasa is executed can place a malicious executable with the same name as a legitimate file that Picasa might search for, effectively hijacking the application's execution flow. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Picasa, potentially leading to system compromise or data exfiltration.
From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through malicious file replacement and execution. The attack requires local access and knowledge of the application's search behavior, making it a low-impact but high-consequence vulnerability for systems where users might have limited access to modify application directories. The exploitability is enhanced in environments where users have write permissions to directories containing Picasa or where the application is run from locations that can be manipulated by local users.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Google Picasa version 3.8 or later, which addresses the search path vulnerability through proper path validation and execution control. Organizations should also implement principle of least privilege controls, ensuring that users have minimal necessary permissions to reduce the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Additionally, system administrators should conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar search path issues in other applications, particularly those that perform file operations or system searches without proper path validation mechanisms.