CVE-2013-1874 in Chicken
Summary
by MITRE
Untrusted search path vulnerability in csi in Chicken before 4.8.2 allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a Trojan horse .csirc in the current working directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1874 represents a classic untrusted search path issue affecting the Chicken Scheme interpreter version 4.8.1 and earlier. This flaw resides within the csi component of the Chicken interpreter which is designed to provide an interactive shell for Scheme programming. The vulnerability stems from the interpreter's failure to properly validate or sanitize the search path when loading configuration files, creating a potential privilege escalation vector for local attackers. The specific file involved is .csirc which is the configuration file used by the Chicken interpreter to store user preferences and initialization settings.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a local attacker places a malicious Trojan horse .csirc file in the current working directory from which the Chicken interpreter is executed. When the interpreter loads this configuration file, it executes any code contained within it with the privileges of the user running the interpreter. This represents a direct violation of secure coding principles where the application assumes that files in the current working directory are trustworthy without proper validation. The flaw aligns with CWE-427 Uncontrolled Search Path Element, which specifically addresses situations where applications use untrusted search paths that can be manipulated by attackers to load malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and potentially gain unauthorized access to system resources. Since the Chicken interpreter is commonly used in development environments and scripting scenarios, the attack surface is broad and includes developers, system administrators, and users who may inadvertently execute the interpreter in compromised directories. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges to exploit and can be triggered simply by navigating to a directory containing the malicious configuration file. This makes it an attractive target for attackers seeking to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within a system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-1874 focus on both immediate remediation and long-term secure coding practices. The primary solution involves upgrading to Chicken version 4.8.2 or later where the vulnerability has been patched through proper validation of configuration file paths. Additionally, system administrators should implement strict directory permissions and ensure that users cannot write to directories where interpreters are executed. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by running interpreters with minimal required permissions and by avoiding execution from directories that may contain untrusted content. From an operational security perspective, organizations should conduct regular security assessments to identify potential search path vulnerabilities in their software environments and implement monitoring for suspicious file creation patterns in interpreter execution directories. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of following ATT&CK framework tactics such as privilege escalation and persistence through legitimate system tools, making it relevant for threat modeling and security posture assessments.