GLSA 200508-19: lm_sensors: Insecure temporary file creation

Severity:normal
Title:lm_sensors: Insecure temporary file creation
Date:08/30/2005
Bugs: #103568
ID:200508-19

Synopsis

lm_sensors is vulnerable to linking attacks, potentially allowing a local user to overwrite arbitrary files.

Background

lm_sensors is a software package that provides drivers for monitoring the temperatures, voltages, and fans of Linux systems with hardware monitoring devices.

Affected packages

Package Vulnerable Unaffected Architecture(s)
sys-apps/lm_sensors < 2.9.1-r1 >= 2.9.1-r1 All supported architectures

Description

Javier Fernandez-Sanguino Pena has discovered that lm_sensors insecurely creates temporary files with predictable filenames when saving configurations.

Impact

A local attacker could create symbolic links in the temporary file directory, pointing to a valid file somewhere on the filesystem. When the pwmconfig script of lm_sensors is executed, this would result in the file being overwritten with the rights of the user running the script, which typically is the root user.

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All lm_sensors users should upgrade to the latest version:

    # emerge --sync
    # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=sys-apps/lm_sensors-2.9.1-r1"

References

Availability

This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website: http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200508-19.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 https://bugs.gentoo.org.

License

Copyright 2010 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.

Thank you!