CVE-2013-0347 in webfs
Summary
by MITRE
The Gentoo init script for webfs uses world-readable permissions for /var/log/webfsd.log, which allows local users to have unspecified impact by reading the file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0347 resides within the Gentoo init script implementation for the webfs web server daemon. This issue manifests through improper file permission configuration where the log file /var/log/webfsd.log is created with world-readable permissions instead of restrictive access controls. The flaw represents a classic case of insufficient privilege separation and inadequate security by design principles in system service initialization. When the webfs daemon starts through the Gentoo init script, it generates the log file with permissions that allow any local user on the system to read its contents, creating an information disclosure vulnerability that can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, which specifically addresses situations where critical system resources receive permissions that are too permissive. The flaw demonstrates poor security hygiene in the initialization process where the service does not properly secure its log files during creation. The webfs daemon, while functioning as a simple web server, generates log entries that may contain sensitive information such as requested URLs, user agent strings, and potentially session data or authentication tokens. The world-readable nature of the log file means that any local user can access these potentially sensitive records, which could include information about web server activity, user behavior patterns, or even credentials if they were inadvertently logged. This represents a fundamental violation of the principle of least privilege and creates an attack surface that can be leveraged for reconnaissance purposes.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability allows local users to gain unauthorized access to potentially sensitive web server log information, which could facilitate further attacks or compromise the overall security posture. The unspecified impact mentioned in the original description suggests that depending on the content of the web server logs, attackers might discover sensitive data patterns, user access information, or even internal system details that could be used in subsequent attacks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it does not require any special privileges or network access to exploit, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to gather information about the system. This type of information disclosure can contribute to broader attack strategies including lateral movement, privilege escalation, and social engineering efforts. The impact extends beyond simple information exposure as log files often contain behavioral patterns and system interaction details that can be valuable for crafting more sophisticated attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on proper file permission management during service initialization. The recommended approach involves modifying the Gentoo init script to set appropriate permissions on the log file immediately after creation, typically restricting access to the root user or specific system accounts. This can be achieved through the use of chmod commands with restrictive permission sets such as 600 or 640, ensuring that only authorized users can access the log file contents. Additionally, system administrators should implement regular security audits to verify that log files maintain appropriate permissions and should consider implementing log rotation mechanisms with proper permission controls. The remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005: Data from Local System, as it addresses the improper access control that enables unauthorized data extraction from system resources. Organizations should also implement monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to sensitive log files and consider deploying automated tools to detect and alert on permission changes that could indicate similar vulnerabilities in other system services. The fix should be applied across all systems running the affected webfs service to ensure consistent security posture and prevent potential exploitation by local users who might attempt to gather intelligence about the system's web server operations.