Forwarded to devs Paragraph "Restricting Script Execution in the /tmp Directory" is missing in the "Advanced Administration Guide, Plesk for Linux Obsidian" guide

[Maarten]

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Paragraph "Restricting Script Execution in the /tmp Directory" is missing in the "Advanced Administration Guide, Plesk for Linux Obsidian" guide

PRODUCT, VERSION, OPERATING SYSTEM, ARCHITECTURE

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PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

In the "Advanced Administration Guide, Plesk for Linux 12.5, there is a paragraph that explains how to secure the /tmp directory:

Enhancing Security

When you share a single physical server between many users, you consider all security aspects thoroughly. Although Pl...

docs.plesk.com

As this is still a security risk, I wonder why this is missing in the latest Obsidian guide:

Enhancing Security

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[IgorG]

Consulted with the Plesk Security team. This section is absent because it is not related to Plesk but instead to OS itself. Securing the /tmp directory is not required in the current Plesk security model. Securing this directory may differ for various OSes. It is ok to secure /tmp directory, you could use OS-related instructions outside for securing the server. For example Securing /tmp on a linux server - ITsyndicate

 

[Maarten]

Can you please share more details on the "current Plesk security model"?
Why is securing the /tmp folder no longer needed? Because of SELinux?

 

[IgorG]

It is not "no longer needed". It is just "not needed". Nothing has changed.

1. The lack of restricting execution in /tmp is not a vulnerability by itself.
2. Restricting execution in /tmp can make exploitation of some potential vulnerabilities more difficult because this is a well-known location which exploits often try to use.
3. Restricting execution in /tmp cannot fully protect from such potential vulnerabilities because (almost) always there are directories other than /tmp allowing an exploit to write and execute files.