CVE-2006-0932 in Pear Archive Zip
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in zip.lib.php 0.1.1 in PEAR::Archive_Zip allows remote attackers to create and overwrite arbitrary files via certain crafted pathnames in a ZIP archive.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0932 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the PEAR::Archive_Zip library version 0.1.1, specifically manifesting in the zip.lib.php component. This security weakness enables remote attackers to manipulate file creation and overwriting behaviors through carefully crafted pathnames embedded within ZIP archive files. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and path sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly restrict file system access when processing compressed archive contents. When a malicious ZIP file is processed by an application utilizing this vulnerable library, the attacker can specify arbitrary file paths that bypass normal directory boundaries, potentially leading to unauthorized file system modifications.
The technical implementation of this directory traversal vulnerability occurs at the file path resolution level within the archive processing logic. The flaw exists because the library does not adequately sanitize or validate the file paths contained within ZIP archives before attempting to extract and write files to the target system. Attackers can exploit this by including directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\ in the filenames within the ZIP archive, allowing them to navigate outside the intended extraction directory. This behavior directly violates the principle of least privilege and enables attackers to write files to locations they would normally not have access to, potentially overwriting critical system files or creating malicious files in sensitive directories.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-0932 extends beyond simple file system manipulation, as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within web application environments. When exploited in web contexts, this vulnerability can enable attackers to upload malicious files to web directories, potentially leading to code execution if the uploaded files are subsequently processed by the web server. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in scenarios where applications automatically process user-uploaded ZIP files without proper validation, creating an attack surface that could allow for remote code execution, privilege escalation, or denial of service conditions. This weakness aligns with CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, and represents a classic example of how insecure file handling can compromise entire application environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the affected PEAR::Archive_Zip library to version 0.1.2 or later, which includes proper path validation and sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers, including application-level file path sanitization and the use of secure extraction libraries that properly handle archive contents. Network-level controls such as content filtering and file type validation can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Security practitioners should also consider implementing principle of least privilege configurations where applications have minimal file system permissions and restrict write access to necessary directories only. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering, as attackers may leverage this weakness to establish persistent access through file manipulation. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should include checks for outdated library versions and proper implementation of secure file handling practices to prevent exploitation of similar directory traversal vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack.