CVE-2017-14604
Publication date 20 September 2017
Last updated 24 July 2024
Ubuntu priority
GNOME Nautilus before 3.23.90 allows attackers to spoof a file type by using the .desktop file extension, as demonstrated by an attack in which a .desktop file's Name field ends in .pdf but this file's Exec field launches a malicious "sh -c" command. In other words, Nautilus provides no UI indication that a file actually has the potentially unsafe .desktop extension; instead, the UI only shows the .pdf extension. One (slightly) mitigating factor is that an attack requires the .desktop file to have execute permission. The solution is to ask the user to confirm that the file is supposed to be treated as a .desktop file, and then remember the user's answer in the metadata::trusted field.
Status
| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
|---|---|---|
| nautilus | 24.04 LTS noble |
Not affected
|
| 22.04 LTS jammy |
Not affected
|
|
| 20.04 LTS focal |
Not affected
|
|
| 18.04 LTS bionic |
Not affected
|
|
| 16.04 LTS xenial |
Vulnerable
|
|
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
Notes
mdeslaur
fixing this in stable releases would result in the user getting an unexpected "Untrusted application launcher" dialog on existing .desktop files. Dialog changes would also need new translations.
Severity score breakdown
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Base score |
6.5 · Medium
|
| Attack vector | Network |
| Attack complexity | Low |
| Privileges required | Low |
| User interaction | None |
| Scope | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | None |
| Integrity impact | High |
| Availability impact | None |
| Vector | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N |