Leveraging Race Conditions |
Attack Pattern ID: 26 (Standard Attack Pattern Completeness: Complete) | Typical Severity: High | Status: Draft |
Summary
This attack targets a race condition occurring when multiple processes access and manipulate the same resource concurrently and the outcome of the execution depends on the particular order in which the access takes place. The attacker can leverage a race condition by "running the race", modifying the resource and modifying the normal execution flow. For instance a race condition can occur while accessing a file, the attacker can trick the system by replacing the original file with his version and cause the system to read the malicious file.
Attack Execution Flow
The attacker explores to gauge what level of access he has.
The attacker gains access to a resource on the target host. The attacker modifies the targeted resource. The resource's value is used to determine the next normal execution action.
The resource is modified/checked concurrently by multiple processes. By using one of the processes, the attacker is able to modify the value just before it is consumed by a different process. A race condition occurs and is exploited by the Attacker to abuse the target host.
A resource is accessed/modified concurrently by multiple processes such that a race condition exists.
The attacker has the ability to modify the resource.
Description
The Net Direct client for Linux before 6.0.5 in Nortel Application Switch 2424, VPN 3050 and 3070, and SSL VPN Module 1000 extracts and executes files with insecure permissions, which allows local users to exploit a race condition to replace a world-writable file in /tmp/NetClient and cause another user to execute arbitrary code when attempting to execute this client, as demonstrated by replacing /tmp/NetClient/client.
Related Vulnerabilities
CVE-2007-1057
Description
The following code illustrates a file that is accessed multiple times by name in a publicly accessible directory. A race condition exists between the accesses where an attacker can replace the file referenced by the name.
Vulnerability testing tool can be used to probe for race condition.
The attacker may also look for temporary file creation. The attacker may tries to replace them and take advantage of a race condition.
Use safe libraries to access resources such as files.
Be aware that improper use of access function calls such as chown(), tempfile(), chmod(), etc. can cause a race condition.
Use synchronization to control the flow of execution.
Use static analysis tools to find race conditions.
Pay attention to concurrency problems related to the access of resources.
CWE-ID | Weakness Name | Weakness Relationship Type |
---|---|---|
368 | Context Switching Race Condition | Secondary |
363 | Race Condition Enabling Link Following | Secondary |
366 | Race Condition within a Thread | Secondary |
370 | Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check | Secondary |
362 | Race Condition | Secondary |
662 | Insufficient Synchronization | Targeted |
689 | Permission Race Condition During Resource Copy | Targeted |
667 | Insufficient Locking | Targeted |
665 | Improper Initialization | Secondary |
Nature | Type | ID | Name | Description | View(s) this relationship pertains to |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ChildOf | Category | 172 | Time and State Attacks | Mechanism of Attack (primary)1000 | |
ParentOf | Attack Pattern | 27 | Leveraging Race Conditions via Symbolic Links | Mechanism of Attack (primary)1000 | |
ParentOf | Attack Pattern | 29 | Leveraging Time-of-Check and Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) Race Conditions | Mechanism of Attack1000 |
CWE - Race Conditions
Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_condition
David Wheeler - Prevent race conditions - http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-sprace.html
David Wheeler - Secure programming - http://www.dwheeler.com/secure-programs/Secure-Programs-HOWTO/avoid-race.html
Submissions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Submitter | Organization | Date | Comments | |
Eric Dalci | Cigital, Inc | 2007-01-25 |
Modifications | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Modifier | Organization | Date | Comments | ||
Sean Barnum | Cigital, Inc | 2007-03-07 | Review and revise | ||
Richard Struse | VOXEM, Inc | 2007-03-26 | Review and feedback leading to changes in Name, Description, Attack Flow and Attack Prerequisites | ||
Sean Barnum | Cigital, Inc | 2007-04-13 | Modified pattern content according to review and feedback |