CVE-2007-4545 in Unreal Commander
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in Unreal Commander 0.92 build 565 and 573 allow user-assisted remote attackers to create or overwrite arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in a filename within a (1) ZIP or (2) RAR archive.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4545 represents a critical directory traversal flaw affecting Unreal Commander versions 0.92 build 565 and 573. This security weakness stems from insufficient input validation during archive extraction processes, specifically when handling filenames containing directory traversal sequences. The vulnerability operates by allowing attackers to manipulate archive contents through carefully crafted filenames that include .. (dot dot) sequences, enabling them to navigate outside the intended extraction directory.
Directory traversal vulnerabilities of this nature fall under the CWE-22 category, which classifies improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The flaw manifests when the application processes archive files without properly sanitizing or validating filenames, allowing malicious actors to specify paths that extend beyond the intended target directory. This particular vulnerability affects both zip and rar archive formats, indicating a comprehensive issue within the archive handling mechanism rather than a format-specific weakness.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file manipulation, as it enables attackers to create or overwrite arbitrary files on the target system. When an attacker constructs a malicious archive containing filenames with directory traversal sequences, the Unreal Commander application will interpret these paths and execute the file operations relative to the system's root directory or other vulnerable locations. This capability allows for potential privilege escalation, system compromise, and unauthorized data modification or deletion. The user-assisted nature of this attack means that victims must explicitly initiate the archive extraction process, but the attacker can provide the malicious archive through various social engineering or distribution methods.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1078 Valid Accounts, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary file operations and potentially gain persistent access to systems. The attack vector typically involves delivering a malicious archive file to an unsuspecting user who then extracts it using Unreal Commander, making this a particularly insidious threat in environments where users frequently handle external archives. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient input sanitization, where the application fails to properly validate or normalize filenames before processing them during archive extraction.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4545 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Unreal Commander versions to address the underlying directory traversal implementation flaw. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies that reject or sanitize filenames containing directory traversal sequences before archive extraction. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting controls to restrict the execution of archive extraction utilities to trusted users and environments. Network-based mitigations such as content filtering and sandboxing of archive files can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in archive handling systems and serves as a reminder of the potential for seemingly benign file operations to become significant security risks when inadequate sanitization measures are implemented.