CVE-2005-3232 in TheHacker
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple interpretation error in unspecified versions of TheHacker allows remote attackers to bypass virus detection via a malicious executable in a specially crafted RAR file with malformed central and local headers, which can still be opened by products such as Winrar and PowerZip, even though they are rejected as corrupted by Winzip and BitZipper.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3232 represents a critical flaw in archive file handling mechanisms that affects multiple archiving tools and antivirus products. This issue stems from a fundamental misinterpretation of archive file structures, specifically within the RAR file format where the central and local headers contain malformed data that creates ambiguity in file processing. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of archive format parsing and security detection systems, creating a scenario where legitimate archive tools can successfully process corrupted files while security solutions reject them as invalid. This discrepancy creates a window of opportunity for attackers to exploit the inconsistent behavior between different software implementations.
The technical flaw manifests as a parsing error in the RAR file format specification where the central directory and local file headers contain malformed data that causes different applications to interpret the same archive file differently. When an attacker crafts a malicious executable within a RAR file that contains these malformed headers, the file can bypass antivirus detection because some security tools correctly identify the file as corrupted and reject it, while legitimate archive extraction tools such as Winrar and PowerZip still process the file successfully. This inconsistency occurs because different software implementations handle the malformed header data in varying ways, with some tools being more permissive in their parsing approach than others. The vulnerability specifically targets the gap between how archive tools process malformed files and how antivirus solutions detect potentially malicious content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file corruption scenarios to create a sophisticated attack vector that can bypass security controls. Attackers can exploit this inconsistency by creating RAR files that contain malicious payloads which will be processed by legitimate archive tools but flagged as corrupted by antivirus systems. This creates a false sense of security for users who may extract files with tools like Winrar without realizing that their antivirus systems have already identified the malicious content. The vulnerability enables a form of evasion that relies on the inconsistent behavior of different software implementations, potentially allowing malware to execute in environments where traditional antivirus detection would have prevented it. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the principle of defense in depth, as the security controls fail to provide consistent protection across different tools and systems.
Organizations and security professionals should implement multiple layers of protection to address this vulnerability, including updating archive tools to the latest versions that properly handle malformed headers, implementing network-level detection for suspicious RAR files, and ensuring that antivirus solutions are configured to detect malformed archive files regardless of the archive tool being used. The vulnerability highlights the importance of consistent security behavior across different software implementations and demonstrates why organizations should not rely solely on a single security control. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability would be classified as a weakness in software security that could lead to regulatory violations if organizations fail to address the inconsistent behavior between security tools. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under technique T1027 for obfuscated files and information and potentially T1204 for user execution, as it relies on user interaction with potentially malicious archive files. The CWE classification would likely fall under CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input, or CWE-20, which covers improper input validation, as the vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of archive file structures.