CVE-2013-1771 in Monkeyd
Summary
by MITRE
The web server Monkeyd produces a world-readable log (/var/log/monkeyd/master.log) on gentoo.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1771 represents a critical configuration flaw in the Monkeyd web server implementation on Gentoo Linux systems. This issue stems from improper permission settings on log files generated by the web server, creating a significant security risk through unauthorized information disclosure. The specific file affected is located at /var/log/monkeyd/master.log which is configured with world-readable permissions, allowing any user on the system to access sensitive operational data.
This vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure flaws and can be classified as CWE-200, which deals with exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor. The technical implementation flaw occurs during the web server's log file creation process where the default permissions are not properly restricted, resulting in log files being accessible to all system users. The root cause lies in the lack of proper access control enforcement during file system operations, particularly in the logging subsystem of the web server daemon.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the master.log file may contain sensitive data including but not limited to user session information, server configuration details, access patterns, and potentially authentication attempts. Attackers could exploit this weakness to gather intelligence about the web server's operation, identify potential attack vectors, and understand the system's security posture. This information can be leveraged to plan more sophisticated attacks against the web server or the underlying infrastructure, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where the web server handles sensitive data or serves as a critical component of enterprise infrastructure.
The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in proper security-by-design principles and highlights the importance of least privilege access controls in system administration. Organizations using Monkeyd web server should immediately address this issue by implementing proper file permission controls, ensuring that log files are only accessible to authorized system administrators and relevant system processes. Recommended mitigations include setting restrictive permissions such as 600 or 640 on log files, implementing proper log rotation with appropriate access controls, and conducting regular security audits to identify similar misconfigurations across the system. This issue also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which involves discovering system information through file and directory permissions, emphasizing the need for comprehensive access control policies and regular security assessments to prevent unauthorized data exposure.