CVE-2020-8908 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability in Guava allows attackers to access temporary directories, potentially compromising sensitive data.

Understanding CVE-2020-8908

This CVE involves a vulnerability in Guava that enables unauthorized access to temporary directories, posing a security risk.

What is CVE-2020-8908?

A vulnerability in Guava allows attackers to exploit temporary directory creation, potentially accessing sensitive data on the system.

The Impact of CVE-2020-8908

The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to temporary directories, compromising the confidentiality of data stored within.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-8908

Guava's vulnerability allows attackers to exploit temporary directory creation, potentially accessing sensitive data.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the Guava API com.google.common.io.Files.createTempDir(), creating world-readable directories on Unix-like systems.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Guava
Vendor: Google LLC
Versions affected: 1.0 (custom) to less than 32.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers with machine access can exploit the vulnerability to access data in temporary directories.

Mitigation and Prevention

Taking immediate steps and implementing long-term security practices can help mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2020-8908.

Immediate Steps to Take

Avoid using the deprecated method in Guava versions 30.0 and later
For Android developers, switch to Android's temporary directory API
For Java developers, migrate to Java 7 API or configure java.io.tmpdir appropriately

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Guava to the latest secure version
Implement secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities
Monitor and restrict access to sensitive directories

Patching and Updates

Update Guava to version 32.0 or newer to address the vulnerability