[ GLSA 200501-02 ] a2ps: Insecure temporary files handling

From: Thierry Carrez (koon_at_gentoo.org)
Date: 01/04/05

  • Next message: Thierry Carrez: "[ GLSA 200501-03 ] Mozilla, Firefox, Thunderbird: Various vulnerabilities"
    Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 22:33:02 +0100
    To: gentoo-announce@lists.gentoo.org
    
    
    

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Gentoo Linux Security Advisory GLSA 200501-02
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                                                http://security.gentoo.org/
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Severity: Normal
         Title: a2ps: Insecure temporary files handling
          Date: January 04, 2005
          Bugs: #75784
            ID: 200501-02

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    Synopsis
    ========

    The fixps and psmandup scripts in the a2ps package are vulnerable to
    symlink attacks, potentially allowing a local user to overwrite
    arbitrary files.

    Background
    ==========

    a2ps is an Any to Postscript filter that can convert to Postscript from
    many filetypes. fixps is a script that fixes errors in Postscript
    files. psmandup produces a Postscript file for printing in manual
    duplex mode.

    Affected packages
    =================

        -------------------------------------------------------------------
         Package / Vulnerable / Unaffected
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
      1 app-text/a2ps < 4.13c-r2 >= 4.13c-r2

    Description
    ===========

    Javier Fernandez-Sanguino Pena discovered that the a2ps package
    contains two scripts that create insecure temporary files (fixps and
    psmandup).

    Impact
    ======

    A local attacker could create symbolic links in the temporary files
    directory, pointing to a valid file somewhere on the filesystem. When
    fixps or psmandup is executed, this would result in the file being
    overwritten with the rights of the user running the utility.

    Workaround
    ==========

    There is no known workaround at this time.

    Resolution
    ==========

    All a2ps users should upgrade to the latest version:

        # emerge --sync
        # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-text/a2ps-4.13c-r2"

    References
    ==========

      [ 1 ] Secunia SA13641
            http://secunia.com/advisories/13641/
      [ 2 ] CAN-2004-1170
            http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CAN-2004-1170

    Availability
    ============

    This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at
    the Gentoo Security Website:

      http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200501-02.xml

    Concerns?
    =========

    Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the
    confidentiality and security of our users machines is of utmost
    importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to
    security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at
    http://bugs.gentoo.org.

    License
    =======

    Copyright 2004 Gentoo Foundation, Inc; referenced text
    belongs to its owner(s).

    The contents of this document are licensed under the
    Creative Commons - Attribution / Share Alike license.

    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0

    
    



  • Next message: Thierry Carrez: "[ GLSA 200501-03 ] Mozilla, Firefox, Thunderbird: Various vulnerabilities"

    Relevant Pages


  • Quantcast