CVE-2013-0348 in openSUSE
Summary
by MITRE
thttpd.c in sthttpd before 2.26.4-r2 and thttpd 2.25b use world-readable permissions for /var/log/thttpd.log, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading the file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-0348 represents a critical privilege escalation and information disclosure issue within the thttpd web server implementation. This flaw exists in sthttpd versions prior to 2.26.4-r2 and thttpd version 2.25b, where the logging mechanism fails to properly secure sensitive log file permissions. The core technical issue stems from the improper configuration of file access controls for the primary log file located at /var/log/thttpd.log, which is set with world-readable permissions instead of the appropriate restricted access levels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by any local user on the system. When thttpd generates log entries containing sensitive information such as user agent strings, requested URLs, IP addresses, and potentially authentication tokens or session identifiers, these details become accessible to all users on the system. This represents a violation of the principle of least privilege and creates opportunities for attackers to gather intelligence about system usage patterns, identify vulnerable applications, or discover potential attack vectors through the analysis of log data. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-732, which describes inadequate permissions for critical resources, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers file and directory discovery.
The security implications of this flaw are particularly severe because it operates as a persistent backdoor mechanism that does not require network connectivity or external attack vectors. Local users can simply execute standard file reading commands to access the log file, making this a low-effort, high-impact vulnerability that can be exploited by both malicious insiders and compromised local accounts. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor security hygiene in software development practices, where proper file permission management and privilege separation were not implemented during the initial development phase. Organizations using affected versions of thttpd should immediately implement mitigations including setting appropriate file permissions with chmod 600 or equivalent, ensuring that only the web server process and authorized administrators can access the log files. Additionally, regular log rotation and monitoring should be implemented to minimize the exposure window and detect any unauthorized access attempts to sensitive log data. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web server applications and the necessity of following security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and NIST SP 800-53 security controls.