GNU Tar: Directory traversal vulnerability

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200709-09 / tar
Release Date	September 15, 2007
Latest Revision	September 15, 2007: 01
Impact	normal
Exploitable	remote

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
app-arch/tar	< 1.18-r2	>= 1.18-r2	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #189682

Synopsis

A directory traversal vulnerability has been discovered in GNU Tar.

2. Impact Information

Background

The GNU Tar program provides the ability to create tar archives, as well as various other kinds of manipulation.

Description

Dmitry V. Levin discovered a directory traversal vulnerability in the contains_dot_dot() function in file src/names.c.

Impact

By enticing a user to extract a specially crafted tar archive, a remote attacker could extract files to arbitrary locations outside of the specified directory with the permissions of the user running GNU Tar.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All GNU Tar users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-arch/tar-1.18-r2"

4. References

CVE-2007-4131

Page updated September 15, 2007

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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