CVE-2014-2387 in Pen
Summary
by MITRE
Pen 0.18.0 has Insecure Temporary File Creation vulnerabilities
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2387 affects Pen version 0.18.0 and represents a critical insecure temporary file creation flaw that exposes systems to potential privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution attacks. This vulnerability stems from the application's improper handling of temporary files during its operation, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust in temporary file creation processes. The flaw specifically manifests when the application generates temporary files without adequate security measures, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate file permissions or replace legitimate temporary files with malicious counterparts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the application's temporary file creation methodology, which fails to employ proper security controls such as secure file naming conventions, appropriate file permissions, or atomic file creation processes. When Pen creates temporary files, it does not adequately randomize file names or establish restrictive access controls that would prevent unauthorized users from accessing or modifying these temporary resources. This insecure approach aligns with CWE-377, which identifies insecure temporary file creation as a significant security weakness that can lead to various attack vectors including race conditions and privilege escalation scenarios. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to predict or manipulate temporary file locations and contents, creating pathways for unauthorized system access.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-2387 extends beyond simple file manipulation, potentially enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges depending on how the application operates within the system environment. When an application creates temporary files without proper security measures, it creates a window of opportunity for attackers to perform privilege escalation attacks, particularly when the application runs with elevated privileges or when temporary files are used in contexts that require elevated access. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack patterns that map to ATT&CK techniques such as T1055 for privilege escalation and T1078 for valid accounts usage. In practical scenarios, this could allow an attacker to substitute a legitimate temporary file with a malicious one, potentially leading to system compromise when the application processes the manipulated file.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention and systematic implementation across affected systems. Organizations should prioritize updating to patched versions of Pen that address the insecure temporary file creation behavior, as the vulnerability cannot be effectively mitigated through configuration changes alone. The recommended approach involves implementing proper temporary file handling mechanisms that include secure randomization of file names, restrictive file permissions, and atomic file creation processes that prevent race conditions. Security measures should also include monitoring for suspicious temporary file creation patterns and implementing least privilege principles when applications create temporary files. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing file integrity monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized modifications to temporary file locations and ensure that temporary file directories have appropriate access controls to prevent unauthorized file replacement operations. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices in preventing fundamental security flaws that can compromise entire system architectures.