Blam: User-assisted execution of arbitrary code

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200801-14 / blam
Release Date	January 27, 2008
Latest Revision	January 27, 2008: 01
Impact	normal
Exploitable	local

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
net-news/blam	< 1.8.4	>= 1.8.4	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #199841

Synopsis

Blam doesn't properly handle environment variables, potentially allowing a local attacker to execute arbitrary code.

2. Impact Information

Background

Blam is an RSS and Atom feed reader for GNOME written in C#.

Description

The "/usr/bin/blam" script sets the "LD_LIBRARY_PATH" environment variable incorrectly, which might result in the current working directory (.) being included when searching for dynamically linked libraries of the Mono Runtime application.

Impact

A local attacker could entice a user to run Blam in a directory containing a specially crafted library file which could result in the execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Blam.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

Do not run Blam from an untrusted working directory.

Resolution

All Blam users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=net-news/blam-1.8.4"

4. References

CVE-2005-4790

Page updated January 27, 2008

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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