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.