CVE-2015-0857 in TarDiff
Summary
by MITRE
Cool Projects TarDiff allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the name of a (1) tar file or (2) file within a tar file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0857 resides within the Cool Projects TarDiff application, which processes tar archives and their contents. This flaw represents a critical command injection vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's handling of tar file names and their constituent file names. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious tar files containing specially formatted names that include shell metacharacters, thereby bypassing normal security controls and gaining unauthorized access to the underlying system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application processes tar file names or file names contained within tar archives without properly escaping or filtering shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, backticks, or pipes. This allows attackers to inject and execute arbitrary shell commands during the archive processing operation. The vulnerability affects both the top-level tar file name and individual file names within the archive, creating multiple attack vectors for exploitation. The flaw essentially enables a classic command injection attack where user-controllable input directly influences shell execution contexts, making it particularly dangerous for systems that process untrusted tar archives.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0857 extends beyond simple code execution, as it can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, install backdoors, exfiltrate information, or perform other malicious activities on the target system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through legitimate archive processing operations, making it difficult to detect and prevent. Organizations relying on TarDiff for archive management or processing are at risk of unauthorized system access, data breaches, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-78 categories, which specifically address command injection flaws in software applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate input validation and sanitization of all tar file names and their contents before processing. System administrators should implement proper escaping of shell metacharacters and consider using secure parsing libraries that do not rely on shell execution for archive processing. The application should be updated to a patched version that addresses the command injection flaw, and organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit potential exploitation. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual archive processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and input validation, particularly when dealing with user-supplied data in shell execution contexts, and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to command and control operations and privilege escalation.