SecurityReason - Apache Tomcat's default security policy is too open

Advisory Text :

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CVE-2007-5342: Tomcat's default security policy is too open

Severity:
Low

Vendor:
The Apache Software Foundation

Versions Affected:
Tomcat 5.5.9 to 5.5.25
Tomcat 6.0.0 to 6.0.15

Description:
The JULI logging component allows web applications to provide their own
logging configurations. The default security policy does not restrict this
configuration and allows an untrusted web application to add files or
overwrite existing files where the Tomcat process has the necessary file
permissions to do so.

Mitigation:
Apply the following patch to the catalina.policy file
http://svn.apache.org/viewvc?rev=606594&view=rev
The patch will be included in 5.5.25 onwards and 6.0.16 onwards
This patch is also included at the end of this announcement

Example:
An application could have its own WEB-INF/classes/logging.properties

handlers = org.apache.juli.FileHandler
org.apache.juli.FileHandler.level = FINE
org.apache.juli.FileHandler.directory = ${catalina.base}/logs
org.apache.juli.FileHandler.prefix = mylog.

Credit:
This issue was discovered by Delian Krustev.

References:
http://tomcat.apache.org/security.html

Mark Thomas

*** Patch starts below this line ***
Index: catalina.policy
===================================================================
- --- catalina.policy (revision 606588)
+++ catalina.policy (working copy)
@@ -62,7 +62,19 @@

// These permissions apply to the logging API
grant codeBase "file:${catalina.home}/bin/tomcat-juli.jar" {
- - permission java.security.AllPermission;
+ permission java.util.PropertyPermission
"java.util.logging.config.class", "read";
+ permission java.util.PropertyPermission
"java.util.logging.config.file", "read";
+ permission java.lang.RuntimePermission "shutdownHooks";
+ permission java.io.FilePermission
"${catalina.base}${file.separator}conf${file.separator}logging.propertie
s", "read";
+ permission java.util.PropertyPermission "catalina.base", "read";
+ permission java.util.logging.LoggingPermission "control";
+ permission java.io.FilePermission
"${catalina.base}${file.separator}logs", "read, write";
+ permission java.io.FilePermission
"${catalina.base}${file.separator}logs${file.separator}*", "read, write";
+ permission java.lang.RuntimePermission "getClassLoader";
+ // To enable per context logging configuration, permit read access
to the appropriate file.
+ // Be sure that the logging configuration is secure before
enabling such access
+ // eg for the examples web application:
+ // permission java.io.FilePermission
"${catalina.base}${file.separator}webapps${file.separator}examples${file
.separator}WEB-INF${file.separator}classes${file.separator}logging.prope
rties", "read";
};

// These permissions apply to the server startup code

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