CVE-2010-2800 in cabextract
Summary
by MITRE
The MS-ZIP decompressor in cabextract before 1.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a malformed MSZIP archive in a .cab file during a (1) test or (2) extract action, related to the libmspack library.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2800 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting the MS-ZIP decompressor component within cabextract versions prior to 1.3. This issue stems from the libmspack library which handles the decompression of Microsoft compressed archive files. The vulnerability specifically manifests when processing malformed MSZIP archives contained within .cab files, creating a condition where the decompression process enters an infinite loop, effectively consuming system resources and rendering the affected system unavailable to legitimate users. The flaw impacts both test and extract operations, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered during routine archive handling activities.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation within the MS-ZIP decompression algorithm. When the libmspack library encounters a malformed MSZIP archive structure, it fails to properly handle the unexpected data patterns, leading to a control flow issue where the decompression loop never terminates. This type of flaw falls under CWE-835, which specifically addresses the issue of infinite loops in software implementations. The vulnerability demonstrates poor error handling and lacks proper bounds checking mechanisms that would normally detect and reject malformed input data before processing begins.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems that regularly process .cab files, particularly in enterprise environments where software distribution and system updates often rely on these archive formats. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious .cab files containing malformed MSZIP archives, which when processed through vulnerable cabextract versions will cause the application to hang indefinitely. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the infinite loop consumes CPU resources and can potentially lead to system instability or resource exhaustion, especially when multiple such archives are processed simultaneously. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in automated environments where archive processing occurs without human intervention, as it can lead to unattended system failures.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2010-2800 centers on upgrading to cabextract version 1.3 or later, which includes proper input validation and error handling for malformed MSZIP archives. System administrators should also implement input sanitization measures and validate archive contents before processing, particularly in environments where untrusted .cab files may be encountered. Additional protective measures include implementing resource limits on archive processing applications and monitoring for unusual CPU consumption patterns that may indicate an infinite loop condition. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving resource exhaustion and denial of service attacks, specifically targeting the availability aspect of the CIA triad. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious .cab files and ensure that systems processing such archives have appropriate redundancy and failover mechanisms in place to maintain operational continuity.