CVE-2012-0843 in uzbl
Summary
by MITRE
uzbl: Information disclosure via world-readable cookies storage file
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0843 affects uzbl, a web browser designed for the command line interface. This issue stems from improper file permissions on the cookies storage file, which is created by the browser during normal operation. The flaw allows unauthorized access to sensitive session data that should remain private, as the file is created with world-readable permissions, making it accessible to any user on the system. This represents a significant security oversight in the browser's implementation of session management and file access controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves the creation of a cookies storage file without appropriate permission settings, typically resulting in the file being accessible by all users on the system. The cookies file contains session identifiers, authentication tokens, and potentially other sensitive information that could be used to impersonate users or gain unauthorized access to web applications. The vulnerability occurs during the browser's initialization process when it creates the cookies file, failing to set restrictive permissions that would normally prevent unauthorized access. This flaw directly relates to CWE-732, which describes improper permission assignment, and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege that should govern file access controls in security-sensitive applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable session hijacking attacks and credential theft. An attacker with access to the compromised system can read the cookies file and potentially reconstruct active sessions, allowing them to access web applications as the legitimate user. This is particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where one user's browsing session data could be accessed by other users on the same system. The vulnerability affects any system running uzbl where the browser creates cookies files, and the impact is amplified in shared computing environments or systems where multiple users have access to the same machine. The issue also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001, which covers the acquisition of credentials through unencrypted session data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper file permission controls during cookie file creation, ensuring that cookies files are created with restrictive permissions such as 600 or 640, which limit access to the file owner only. System administrators should review and correct file permissions on existing cookies files, and the browser should be updated to implement proper permission handling in its code. Additionally, users should be educated about the importance of secure file permissions and the potential risks of world-readable files containing session data. The fix requires changes to the browser's cookie management implementation to ensure that all session data files are created with appropriate access controls, preventing unauthorized access while maintaining the browser's functionality. Regular security audits of file permissions and access controls should be conducted to prevent similar issues from arising in other components of the system.