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sensitive file. Ensure good compartmentalization in the system to provide protected areas that
can be trusted.
Observed Examples
Reference Description
CVE-1999-1386 Some versions of Perl follow symbolic links when running with the -e option,
which allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-1999-1386
CVE-2000-1178 Text editor follows symbolic links when creating a rescue copy during an
abnormal exit, which allows local users to overwrite the files of other users.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2000-1178
CVE-2004-0217 Antivirus update allows local users to create or append to arbitrary files via a
symlink attack on a logfile.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-0217
CVE-2003-0517 Symlink attack allows local users to overwrite files.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-0517
CVE-2004-0689 Window manager does not properly handle when certain symbolic links point
to "stale" locations, which could allow local users to create or truncate arbitrary
files.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-0689
CVE-2005-1879 Second-order symlink vulnerabilities
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-1879
CVE-2005-1880 Second-order symlink vulnerabilities
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-1880
CVE-2005-1916 Symlink in Python program
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-1916
CVE-2000-0972 Setuid product allows file reading by replacing a file being edited with a symlink
to the targeted file, leaking the result in error messages when parsing fails.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2000-0972
CVE-2005-0824 Signal causes a dump that follows symlinks.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-0824
CVE-2001-1494 Hard link attack, file overwrite; interesting because program checks against
soft links
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2001-1494
CVE-2002-0793 Hard link and possibly symbolic link following vulnerabilities in embedded
operating system allow local users to overwrite arbitrary files.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-0793
CVE-2003-0578 Server creates hard links and unlinks files as root, which allows local users to
gain privileges by deleting and overwriting arbitrary files.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-0578
CVE-1999-0783 Operating system allows local users to conduct a denial of service by creating
a hard link from a device special file to a file on an NFS file system.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-1999-0783
CVE-2004-1603 Web hosting manager follows hard links, which allows local users to read or
modify arbitrary files.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-1603
CVE-2004-1901 Package listing system allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a hard
link attack on the lockfiles.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-1901
CVE-2005-1111 Hard link race condition
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-1111
CVE-2000-0342 Mail client allows remote attackers to bypass the user warning for executable
attachments such as .exe, .com, and .bat by using a .lnk file that refers to the
attachment, aka "Stealth Attachment."
CWE Version 4.14
CWE-59: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CWE-59: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')