Mozilla Foundation Security Advisory 2005-28

Unsafe /tmp/plugtmp directory exploitable to erase user's files

Announced
February 24, 2005
Reporter
Tavis Ormandy
Risk
High (on shared machine, low otherwise)
Impact
Critical (local)
Products
Firefox, Mozilla Suite
Fixed in
  • Firefox 1.0.1
  • Mozilla Suite 1.7.6

Description

A predictable name is used for the plugin temporary directory. A malicious local user could symlink this to the victim's home directory and wait for the victim to run Firefox. When Firefox shuts down the victim's directory would be erased.

Workaround

None.

References