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Description
A process does not close sensitive file descriptors before invoking a child process, which allows the child to perform unauthorized I/O operations using those descriptors.
When a new process is forked or executed, the child process inherits any open file descriptors. When the child process has fewer privileges than the parent process, this might introduce a vulnerability if the child process can access the file descriptor but does not have the privileges to access the associated file.
Modes of Introduction:
– Architecture and Design
Related Weaknesses
CWE-402
Consequences
Confidentiality, Integrity: Read Application Data, Modify Application Data
Potential Mitigations
CVE References
- CVE-2003-0740
- Server leaks a privileged file descriptor, allowing the server to be hijacked.
- CVE-2004-1033
- File descriptor leak allows read of restricted files.
- CVE-2000-0094
- Access to restricted resource using modified file descriptor for stderr.
- CVE-2002-0638
- Open file descriptor used as alternate channel in complex race condition.
- CVE-2003-0489
- Program does not fully drop privileges after creating a file descriptor, which allows access to the descriptor via a separate vulnerability.
- CVE-2003-0937
- User bypasses restrictions by obtaining a file descriptor then calling setuid program, which does not close the descriptor.
- CVE-2004-2215
- Terminal manager does not properly close file descriptors, allowing attackers to access terminals of other users.
- CVE-2006-5397
- Module opens a file for reading twice, allowing attackers to read files.
