CVE-2006-2958 in FilZip
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in FilZip 3.05 allows remote attackers to write arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in a (1) .rar, (2) .tar, (3) .jar, or (4) .gz file. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained from third party information.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-2958 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within FilZip 3.05 software, specifically affecting archive handling functionality for multiple compression formats including .rar, .tar, .jar, and .gz files. This weakness stems from inadequate input validation and path resolution mechanisms within the archive extraction process, where the software fails to properly sanitize or validate file paths contained within compressed archives. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to exploit this flaw by crafting malicious archive files containing directory traversal sequences using the .. (dot dot) notation, enabling them to write arbitrary files to locations outside the intended extraction directory.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability operates at the file system level where FilZip 3.05 processes archive contents without proper sanitization of relative path references. When decompressing archives, the software does not adequately validate whether file paths contain traversal sequences that would allow writing files outside the designated target directory. This failure directly relates to CWE-22, which categorizes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as directory traversal or path traversal attacks. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application processes archive entries that contain .. sequences in their paths, allowing attackers to bypass normal file system access controls and potentially overwrite critical system files or inject malicious content.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant security risks to systems running FilZip 3.05, as it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or special privileges. Attackers can leverage this flaw to write arbitrary files to the system, potentially leading to privilege escalation, data corruption, or system compromise. The impact extends beyond simple file manipulation as it can enable attackers to install backdoors, modify system binaries, or overwrite configuration files. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where FilZip is used for automated file processing or where users have the ability to upload or process archive files from untrusted sources, making it a serious concern for web applications, file sharing systems, and automated processing environments.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which involves the use of command and scripting interpreter for execution, as attackers could potentially use the arbitrary file writing capability to deploy malicious payloads. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of T1566, which covers the use of malicious file content for initial access, since the attack vector involves crafting malicious archive files. Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense including immediate patching of affected systems, input validation for archive processing, restricted file type handling, and monitoring for suspicious file operations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input sanitization and the principle of least privilege in file system operations, particularly when handling user-provided content. Security professionals should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities in environments where archive processing is common.