CVE-2005-0161 in unace
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in unace 1.2b allow attackers to overwrite arbitrary files via an ACE archive containing (1) ../ sequences or (2) absolute pathnames.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2025
The CVE-2005-0161 vulnerability affects the unace 1.2b utility, which is a command-line tool designed for extracting files from ACE compressed archives. This vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw that allows malicious actors to manipulate the extraction process and potentially overwrite arbitrary files on the target system. The issue stems from insufficient input validation during archive extraction, specifically when processing pathnames within ACE archives. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted ACE archives containing either ../ sequences or absolute pathnames that bypass normal extraction boundaries.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of directory paths during archive extraction operations. When unace processes an ACE archive, it fails to adequately sanitize or validate the pathname components contained within the archive entries. This allows an attacker to include sequences such as ../ that would normally be restricted in normal file operations, effectively traversing up the directory tree and potentially writing files to locations outside the intended extraction directory. Additionally, the vulnerability permits the use of absolute pathnames that can directly target system files or critical directories, bypassing any intended sandboxing or access controls. This type of vulnerability is classified as a directory traversal or path traversal attack, which is commonly categorized under CWE-22 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can overwrite critical system files, potentially leading to privilege escalation, system compromise, or denial of service conditions. The ability to overwrite arbitrary files means that an attacker could replace system binaries, configuration files, or user data with malicious content. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where unace is used to extract archives from untrusted sources, such as web applications that accept file uploads or automated systems that process user-submitted content. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter, as exploitation often involves manipulating file systems through command-line tools.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-0161 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective immediate solution is to upgrade to a newer version of the unace utility that properly implements path validation and sanitization. Organizations should also implement strict input validation for all archive processing operations, ensuring that pathname components are thoroughly checked before any extraction occurs. Access controls should be enforced to limit the privileges of archive extraction processes, preventing them from writing to critical system directories. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and application whitelisting can help reduce the attack surface by limiting which systems can process untrusted archive files. Regular security auditing and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other archive processing utilities and ensure that proper security controls are in place across the entire system architecture.