CVE-2011-1778 in libarchive
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in libarchive through 2.8.5 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted TAR archive.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1778 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the libarchive library version 2.8.5 and earlier. This library serves as a fundamental component for handling various archive formats including tar, cpio, zip, and others, making it a widely used dependency across numerous operating systems and applications. The flaw manifests specifically within the handling of TAR archives, where maliciously crafted archive files can trigger memory corruption through improper bounds checking during archive extraction processes. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of archive metadata, particularly in the way the library processes file headers and directory entries within TAR archives, allowing attackers to manipulate memory layout through carefully constructed archive contents.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when applications relying on libarchive attempt to process maliciously formatted TAR archives. During the parsing of archive entries, the library fails to properly validate the size fields within archive headers, leading to buffer overflows when copying data into fixed-size buffers. This condition can result in stack corruption, heap corruption, or memory overwrite scenarios that fundamentally compromise the application's execution flow. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the buffer overflow conditions may allow for arbitrary code execution when the corrupted memory is subsequently used, particularly in scenarios where the application continues execution after the overflow occurs. This represents a classic example of a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that aligns with CWE-121, which describes insufficient boundary checking in stack-based buffers.
From an operational perspective, the widespread adoption of libarchive across multiple platforms and applications creates extensive attack surface potential for this vulnerability. Systems utilizing applications such as tar utilities, backup software, package managers, and various archive handling tools become vulnerable to exploitation. The remote attack vector means that adversaries can trigger the vulnerability through network-based archive downloads or email attachments without requiring local access to the target system. The potential for privilege escalation exists when vulnerable applications run with elevated privileges, as the arbitrary code execution capability could be leveraged to gain unauthorized system access. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059 for command and script injection, and T1499 for network denial of service, demonstrating the multi-faceted nature of the threat.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-1778 primarily focus on immediate library updates to versions 2.8.6 and later, which contain the necessary patches addressing the buffer overflow conditions. System administrators should prioritize patching all affected applications and systems that rely on libarchive, particularly those handling untrusted archive data. Additional protective measures include implementing proper input validation for archive files, deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious archive-related traffic, and configuring applications to run with minimal privileges to limit potential damage from successful exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for archive processing and establishing secure archive handling protocols that prevent automatic extraction of untrusted archives. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation practices, aligning with security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks for preventing buffer overflow attacks.