CVE-2007-4547 in Unreal Commander
Summary
by MITRE
Unreal Commander 0.92 build 565 and 573 writes portions of heap memory into local files when extracting from an archive with malformed size information in a file header, which might allow user-assisted attackers to obtain sensitive information (memory contents) by reading the extracted files. NOTE: this issue is only a vulnerability if Unreal is run with privileges, or if the extracted files are made accessible to other users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2017
This vulnerability exists in Unreal Commander version 0.92 build 565 and 573 where the application fails to properly validate archive file headers during extraction processes. When processing archive files containing malformed size information within file headers, the software writes portions of heap memory directly into local files without proper sanitization or bounds checking. This flaw represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that can potentially expose sensitive data stored in memory segments. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200 as "Information Exposure" and specifically relates to improper handling of memory contents during file operations. The issue is particularly concerning because it can lead to exposure of confidential information that was previously stored in the application's memory space.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the archive extraction routine. When Unreal Commander encounters malformed size fields in archive headers, it fails to properly validate these values before proceeding with the extraction process. Instead of rejecting or properly handling invalid size parameters, the application proceeds to write memory contents to disk, potentially including sensitive information such as passwords, session tokens, or other confidential data that may have been present in the heap at the time of extraction. This behavior creates a direct pathway for attackers to obtain memory contents through simple file reading operations, as the sensitive data becomes accessible in the extracted files.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant when considering the privilege escalation aspects. The vulnerability only constitutes a true security risk when Unreal Commander is executed with elevated privileges or when the extracted files are accessible to other users who can read them. This means that in a typical user environment where the application runs with standard privileges and extracted files are only accessible to the executing user, the risk may be limited. However, in enterprise environments where applications might run with elevated privileges or when extracted files are placed in shared directories, the potential for information disclosure becomes much more severe. The vulnerability enables user-assisted attacks, meaning that an attacker needs to convince a victim to extract a maliciously crafted archive file, which then exposes sensitive memory contents to the attacker.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability involve multiple layers of protection. Application developers should implement proper input validation and bounds checking for all archive file headers, particularly size fields, before proceeding with extraction operations. The software should validate that file size parameters fall within reasonable ranges and reject archives with malformed headers rather than attempting to extract them. Additionally, memory sanitization techniques should be employed to prevent sensitive data from remaining in memory segments that could be inadvertently written to disk. System administrators should ensure that Unreal Commander is run with the minimum required privileges and that extracted files are properly secured with appropriate access controls. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005 as "Data from Local System" and demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in preventing information disclosure attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing file integrity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized file modifications that might result from exploitation of this vulnerability.