GLSA 200511-06: fetchmail: Password exposure in fetchmailconf

http://security.gentoo.org/

Severity:	normal
Title:	fetchmail: Password exposure in fetchmailconf
Date:	11/06/2005
Bugs:	#110366
ID:	200511-06

Synopsis

fetchmailconf fails to properly handle file permissions, temporarily exposing sensitive information to other local users.

Background

fetchmail is a utility that retrieves and forwards mail from remote systems using IMAP, POP, and other protocols. It ships with fetchmailconf, a graphical utility used to create configuration files.

Affected packages

Package	Vulnerable	Unaffected	Architecture(s)
net-mail/fetchmail	< 6.2.5.2-r1	>= 6.2.5.2-r1	All supported architectures

Description

Thomas Wolff discovered that fetchmailconf opens the configuration file with default permissions, writes the configuration to it, and only then restricts read permissions to the owner.

Impact

A local attacker could exploit the race condition to retrieve sensitive information like IMAP/POP passwords.

Workaround

Run "umask 077" to temporarily strengthen default permissions, then run "fetchmailconf" from the same shell.

Resolution

All fetchmail users should upgrade to the latest version:

    # emerge --sync
    # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=net-mail/fetchmail-6.2.5.2-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-200511-06.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.