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Home >> Browse Vulnerability Assessment Database >> Gentoo Local Security Checks >> [GLSA-200501-02] a2ps: Multiple vulnerabilities

Vulnerability Assessment Details

[GLSA-200501-02] a2ps: Multiple vulnerabilities

Vulnerability Assessment Summary
a2ps: Multiple vulnerabilities

Detailed Explanation for this Vulnerability Assessment
The remote host is affected by the vulnerability described in GLSA-200501-02
(a2ps: Multiple vulnerabilities)

Javier Fernandez-Sanguino Pena discovered that the a2ps package
contains two scripts that create insecure temporary files (fixps and
psmandup). Furthermore, we fixed in a previous revision a vulnerability
in a2ps filename handling (CVE-2004-1170).

Impact

A local attacker could create symbolic links in the temporary files
directory, pointing to a valid file somewhere on the filesystem. When
fixps or psmandup is executed, this would result in the file being
overwritten with the rights of the user running the utility. By
enticing a user or script to run a2ps on a malicious filename, an
attacker could execute arbitrary commands on the system with the rights
of that user or script.

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

References:
http://secunia.com/advisories/13641/
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2004-1170
http://lists.netsys.com/pipermail/full-disclosure/2004-August/025678.html

Solution:
All a2ps users should upgrade to the latest version:
# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-text/a2ps-4.13c-r2"

Network Security Threat Level: Medium

Networks Security ID:

Vulnerability Assessment Copyright: (C) 2005 Michel Arboi

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