The product uses the chroot() system call to create a jail, but does not change the working directory afterward. This does not prevent access to files outside of the jail.
View on MITREImproper use of chroot() may allow attackers to escape from the chroot jail. The chroot() function call does not change the process's current working directory, so relative paths may still refer to file system resources outside of the chroot jail after chroot() has been called.
No mitigation information available for this CWE.
No detection method information available for this CWE.
Consider the following source code from a (hypothetical) FTP server:
This code is responsible for reading a filename from the network, opening the corresponding file on the local machine, and sending the contents over the network. This code could be used to implement the FTP GET command. The FTP server calls chroot() in its initialization routines in an attempt to prevent access to files outside of /var/ftproot. But because the server does not change the current working directory by calling chdir("/"), an attacker could request the file "../../../../../etc/passwd" and obtain a copy of the system password file.
No relationship information available for this CWE.
CWE-243: Creation of chroot Jail Without Changing Working Directory is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product uses the chroot() system call to create a jail, but does not change the working directory afterward. This does not prevent access to files outside of the jail. Improper use of chroot() may allow attackers to escape from the chroot jail. The chroot() function call does not change the process's current working directory, so relative paths may still refer to file system resources outside of the chroot jail after chroot() has been called.
If exploited, CWE-243 (Creation of chroot Jail Without Changing Working Directory) it can compromise Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as Read Files or Directories.
CWE-243 commonly affects C and C++. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.
A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-243 describes a category of software weakness — the underlying flaw type. A CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) identifies a specific, real-world vulnerability in a particular product. In short, a CWE is the kind of mistake, and a CVE is an instance of that mistake being found in software.