CVE-2008-2575 in cbrPager
Summary
by MITRE
cbrPager before 0.9.17 allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in a (1) ZIP (aka .cbz) or (2) RAR (aka .cbr) archive filename.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2575 affects cbrPager versions prior to 0.9.17 and represents a critical command injection flaw that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This vulnerability specifically targets the archive file handling mechanism within the cbrPager application, which is designed to process comic book archive files in both ZIP (.cbz) and RAR (.cbr) formats. The flaw arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization of archive filenames, creating a path for malicious actors to inject shell metacharacters that get interpreted by the underlying system shell during archive processing operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or sanitize user-supplied filenames before executing shell commands to extract or process archive contents. When a user opens a maliciously crafted archive file containing specially crafted filenames with shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks, the application passes these unfiltered inputs directly to shell execution functions. This design flaw aligns with CWE-78, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and represents a classic command injection vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary system commands with the privileges of the affected application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a complete remote code execution capability that can be leveraged for privilege escalation, system compromise, and further network infiltration. An attacker could craft malicious archive files that, when opened by an unsuspecting user, would execute commands such as creating backdoors, downloading additional malware, or exfiltrating sensitive data from the target system. The user-assisted nature of this attack means that social engineering would be required to get a victim to open the malicious archive, but once opened, the vulnerability provides immediate and complete system compromise. This attack pattern corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper security practices in archive handling applications. The flaw exists because the application does not implement proper filename sanitization or validation before processing user-supplied archive names, creating a direct pathway for attackers to inject malicious shell commands. Security best practices would require the implementation of strict input validation, proper shell escaping mechanisms, or the use of safe parsing libraries that do not rely on direct shell command execution for archive operations. Organizations should immediately upgrade to cbrPager version 0.9.17 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and validation mechanisms to prevent this vulnerability from being exploited. Additionally, system administrators should implement network monitoring to detect suspicious archive file access patterns and consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict the execution of potentially vulnerable applications. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for secure coding practices, particularly when dealing with user-supplied data that may be processed through system commands or shell interfaces.