multi-gnome-terminal: Information leak

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200409-10 / multi-gnome-terminal
Release Date	September 06, 2004
Latest Revision	September 06, 2004: 01
Impact	normal
Exploitable	local

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
x11-terms/multi-gnome-terminal	< 1.6.2-r1	>= 1.6.2-r1	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #62322

Synopsis

Active keystroke logging in multi-gnome-terminal has been discovered in potentially world-readable files. This could allow any authorized user on the system to read sensitive data, including passwords.

2. Impact Information

Background

multi-gnome-terminal is an enhanced terminal emulator that is derived from gnome-terminal.

Description

multi-gnome-terminal contains debugging code that has been known to output active keystrokes to a potentially unsafe location. Output has been seen to show up in the '.xsession-errors' file in the users home directory. Since this file is world-readable on many machines, this bug has the potential to leak sensitive information to anyone using the system.

Impact

Any authorized user on the local machine has the ability to read any critical data that has been entered into the terminal, including passwords.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All multi-gnome-terminal users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge sync
# emerge -pv ">=x11-terms/multi-gnome-terminal-1.6.2-r1"
# emerge ">=x11-terms/multi-gnome-terminal-1.6.2-r1"

Page updated September 06, 2004

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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