CVE-2006-0300 in tar
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in tar 1.14 through 1.15.90 allows user-assisted attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) and possibly execute code via unspecified vectors involving PAX extended headers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0300 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting tar archive utilities version 1.14 through 1.15.90. This issue specifically manifests when processing PAX extended headers, which are part of the POSIX standard for archive formats and provide enhanced metadata capabilities beyond traditional tar formats. The vulnerability operates under CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory buffers. The flaw enables user-assisted exploitation scenarios where an attacker can craft malicious archive files containing specially formatted PAX extended headers that trigger memory corruption during archive extraction.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the tar utility processes extended header records that exceed the allocated buffer space for storing header information. PAX headers are used to store additional metadata such as file ownership, permissions, and extended attributes that cannot be represented in the original tar format. When tar encounters malformed or oversized PAX extended headers, the insufficient input validation causes memory corruption that can result in application crashes or potentially arbitrary code execution. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code on systems processing affected archives.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-0300 extends beyond simple denial of service to potential system compromise, particularly in environments where automated archive processing occurs or where users have the ability to submit archive files for processing. Systems processing tar archives from untrusted sources become vulnerable to this attack vector, as the buffer overflow can be triggered during normal archive extraction operations. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of tar utilities, making it particularly dangerous in automated build systems, backup processes, and network services that rely on tar for file management. Organizations running affected versions of tar should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions, implementing input validation for archive files, and restricting archive processing from untrusted sources.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires careful crafting of PAX extended headers that exceed buffer boundaries, typically through manipulation of header length fields or by creating excessively long extended attribute values. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability in supply chain attacks where malicious archives are distributed through legitimate channels, or in privilege escalation scenarios where users can influence archive processing on systems with elevated privileges. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple tar versions indicates a fundamental flaw in the input handling logic that required comprehensive code review and patching across the affected software family. Security practitioners should monitor for exploitation attempts through log analysis of archive processing activities and implement network-based intrusion detection rules targeting suspicious archive file patterns.