CVE-2012-1930 in Web Browser
Summary
by MITRE
Opera before 11.62 on UNIX uses world-readable permissions for temporary files during printing, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading these files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1930 affects Opera web browser versions prior to 11.62 on UNIX operating systems, specifically addressing a critical security flaw in how the browser handles temporary files during printing operations. This issue represents a classic case of improper file permissions that creates an information disclosure vulnerability, allowing local attackers to access sensitive data that should remain protected. The flaw stems from the browser's failure to properly secure temporary files generated during the printing process, which are created with world-readable permissions that permit any user on the system to access their contents.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the creation of temporary files during the printing workflow where Opera generates intermediate data structures that contain sensitive information. These temporary files are typically created with permissive file permissions such as 644 or 755, which grant read access to all users on the system. When printing operations occur, the browser creates these temporary files to store print job data, document formatting information, and potentially user-specific content that could include personal data, session information, or other confidential details. The root cause aligns with CWE-732, which describes improper permission assignment for critical resources, and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege that should be applied to all temporary file operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables local users to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information that may be contained within these temporary files, potentially leading to data breaches, privacy violations, and information disclosure attacks. Attackers could exploit this weakness to extract personal information, session tokens, or other confidential data that was temporarily stored during printing operations. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no network connectivity or remote exploitation capabilities, making it an ideal candidate for privilege escalation or information gathering attacks on systems where Opera is installed. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1005, which covers data from local system, and represents a common attack pattern where adversaries leverage local file system weaknesses to access sensitive information.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability involves upgrading to Opera version 11.62 or later, which properly implements secure temporary file handling with appropriate file permissions. System administrators should also implement regular monitoring of temporary file directories to detect any unauthorized access attempts and ensure that all temporary files are created with restrictive permissions that limit access to the creating process only. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated security scanning tools that can identify applications with improper file permissions and enforce security policies through configuration management systems. The fix typically involves implementing proper umask settings, using secure temporary file creation functions, and ensuring that all temporary files are created with permissions that prevent unauthorized access, thereby preventing information disclosure through insecure file handling practices.