TRAMP: Insecure temporary file creation

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200710-22 / tramp
Release Date	October 20, 2007
Latest Revision	December 30, 2007: 02
Impact	normal
Exploitable	local

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
app-emacs/tramp	< 2.1.10-r2	>= 2.1.10-r2, < 2.1	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #194713

Synopsis

The TRAMP package for GNU Emacs insecurely creates temporary files.

2. Impact Information

Background

TRAMP is a remote file editing package for GNU Emacs, a highly extensible and customizable text editor.

Description

Stefan Monnier discovered that the tramp-make-tramp-temp-file() function creates temporary files in an insecure manner.

Impact

A local attacker could create symbolic links in the directory where the temporary files are written, pointing to a valid file somewhere on the filesystem that is writable by the user running TRAMP. When TRAMP writes the temporary file, the target valid file would then be overwritten with the contents of the TRAMP temporary file.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All TRAMP users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-emacs/tramp-2.1.10-r2"

4. References

CVE-2007-5377

Updated October 20, 2007

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Security Team
Contact Address

Donate to support our development efforts.