CVE-2002-0370 in Winzip
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the ZIP capability for multiple products allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code via ZIP files containing entries with long filenames, including (1) Microsoft Windows 98 with Plus! Pack, (2) Windows XP, (3) Windows ME, (4) Lotus Notes R4 through R6 (pre-gold), (5) Verity KeyView, and (6) Stuffit Expander before 7.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0370 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the zip file handling capabilities of multiple software products spanning various operating systems and applications. This weakness specifically manifests when processing zip archives containing entries with excessively long filenames that exceed the allocated buffer space. The vulnerability affects a diverse range of platforms including Microsoft Windows 98 with Plus! Pack, Windows XP, Windows ME, Lotus Notes R4 through R6, Verity KeyView, and Stuffit Expander versions prior to 7.0. The flaw resides in how these applications parse and validate filename lengths within zip file structures, creating an exploitable condition where maliciously crafted zip files can trigger memory corruption. This buffer overflow vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions that occur when insufficient bounds checking is performed on data that is copied into fixed-length buffers. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it can potentially allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The attack vector involves sending specially crafted zip files to victims who are using the vulnerable applications, making this a particularly dangerous flaw for environments where users might encounter untrusted archive files. According to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to the T1203 technique for "Exploitation for Client Execution" and potentially T1059 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter" when successful exploitation occurs. The widespread nature of affected products indicates that this vulnerability could impact numerous users across different computing environments, from personal computers running older Windows versions to enterprise applications like Lotus Notes. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is heightened by the fact that zip file handling is a common operation across multiple platforms and applications, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise systems without requiring specialized knowledge of specific application interfaces. The buffer overflow condition occurs during the parsing phase when the application attempts to store filename data exceeding the predefined buffer capacity, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for code execution. This flaw demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in archive processing utilities, as even seemingly benign operations like file extraction can become attack vectors when proper security measures are absent. Organizations using affected software should immediately implement patches or workarounds to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability's potential for remote code execution makes it particularly dangerous in networked environments where users might encounter malicious zip files from untrusted sources. The remediation process involves updating to patched versions of the affected applications, implementing network-based restrictions on zip file handling, or deploying additional security controls to prevent execution of potentially malicious archive content. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs, as it demonstrates how legacy applications and older system configurations can harbor critical security flaws that persist across multiple generations of software releases.