J-Security Center

Title: teTeX Filters Temporary File Race Condition Vulnerability

Severity: MODERATE

Description:

teTeX is a TeX distribution for UNIX compatible systems.

A race condition vulnerability exists in the temporary file handling method used by some teTeX filters. The problem exists because in some cases temporary files are created world-writable with a predictable filename based on the process ID of the filter.

If an attacker is able to determine the name of a temporary file used during the program's operation, a symbolic link could be created pointing to a file writeable by the user running the filter.

The potential impact of the attack becomes more significant when the filters are being used by an application that runs with elevated privileges. For example, the LPRng printer spooler program could be coerced into executing arbitrary commands with its elevated privileges under certain circumstances.

The vulnerability is related to BID 2865.

Affected Products:

  • Conectiva Linux 6.0.0
  • Conectiva Linux 7.0.0
  • Conectiva Linux 8.0.0
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 alpha
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 arm
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 hppa
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 ia-32
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 ia-64
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 m68k
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 mips
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 mipsel
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 ppc
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 s/390
  • Debian Linux 3.0.0 sparc
  • HP Secure OS software for Linux 1.0.0
  • Immunix Immunix OS 6.2.0
  • Immunix Immunix OS 7.0.0
  • Immunix Immunix OS 7.0.0 beta
  • MandrakeSoft Corporate Server 1.0.1
  • MandrakeSoft Linux Mandrake 7.1.0
  • MandrakeSoft Linux Mandrake 7.2.0
  • MandrakeSoft Linux Mandrake 8.0.0
  • MandrakeSoft Linux Mandrake 8.0.0 ppc
  • MandrakeSoft Linux Mandrake 8.1.0
  • MandrakeSoft Linux Mandrake 8.1.0 ia64
  • MandrakeSoft Linux Mandrake 8.2.0
  • MandrakeSoft Linux Mandrake 8.2.0 ppc
  • MandrakeSoft Linux Mandrake 9.0.0
  • RedHat Desktop 3.0.0
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux AS 2.1
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux AS 2.1 IA64
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux AS 3
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux ES 2.1
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux ES 2.1 IA64
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux ES 3
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux WS 2.1
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux WS 2.1 IA64
  • RedHat Enterprise Linux WS 3
  • RedHat Linux 7.0.0
  • RedHat Linux 7.0.0 alpha
  • RedHat Linux 7.0.0 i386
  • RedHat Linux 7.1.0
  • RedHat Linux 7.1.0 alpha
  • RedHat Linux 7.1.0 i386
  • RedHat Linux 7.1.0 ia64
  • RedHat Linux 7.2.0
  • RedHat Linux 7.2.0 i386
  • RedHat Linux 7.2.0 ia64
  • RedHat Linux 7.3.0
  • RedHat Linux 7.3.0 i386
  • RedHat Linux 8.0.0
  • RedHat Linux 8.0.0 i386
  • RedHat Linux Advanced Work Station 2.1.0
  • teTeX teTeX 1.0.7

References:

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