The glibcbug script in glibc 2.3.4 and earlier allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files, a different vulnerability than CVE-2004-0968.

Updated glibc packages that address several bugs are now available.

This update has been rated as having low security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team.

The GNU libc packages (known as glibc) contain the standard C libraries used by applications.

Flaws in the catchsegv and glibcbug scripts were discovered. A local user could utilize these flaws to overwrite files via a symlink attack on temporary files. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2004-0968 and CVE-2004-1382 to these issues.

It was discovered that the use of LD_DEBUG and LD_SHOW_AUXV were not restricted for a setuid program. A local user could utilize this flaw to gain information, such as the list of symbols used by the program.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2004-1453 to this issue.

This erratum also addresses the following bugs in the GNU C Library: - Now avoids calling sigaction (SIGPIPE, ...) in syslog implementation - Fixed poll on Itanium - Now allows setenv/putenv in shared library constructors

Users of glibc are advised to upgrade to these erratum packages that remove the unnecessary glibcbug script and contain backported patches to correct these other issues.

Several insecure uses of temporary files have been discovered in support scripts in the libc6 package which provides the c library for a GNU/Linux system. Trustix developers found that the catchsegv script uses temporary files insecurely. Openwall developers discovered insecure temporary files in the glibcbug script. These scripts are vulnerable to a symlink attack.

The Trustix developers discovered that the catchsegv and glibcbug utilities, part of the glibc package, created temporary files in an insecure manner. This could allow for a symlink attack to create or overwrite arbitrary files with the privileges of the user invoking the program.

The updated packages have been patched to correct this issue.

ID	Name	Product	Family	Severity
18160	RHEL 2.1 : glibc (RHSA-2005:261)	Nessus	Red Hat Local Security Checks	low
16150	Debian DSA-636-1 : glibc - insecure temporary files	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	low
16076	Mandrake Linux Security Advisory : glibc (MDKSA-2004:159)	Nessus	Mandriva Local Security Checks	low

Detections

Analytics

CVE-2004-1382

medium

Tenable Plugins

low

low

low