CVE-2016-10173 in minitar
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in the minitar before 0.6 and archive-tar-minitar 0.5.2 gems for Ruby allows remote attackers to write to arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in a TAR archive entry.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10173 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the minitar gem and its associated archive-tar-minitar library versions prior to 0.6 and 0.5.2 respectively. This security weakness specifically affects ruby applications that process tar archive files, creating a significant risk for systems that handle untrusted archive data. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of file paths within tar archive entries, allowing malicious actors to manipulate the extraction process through specially crafted archive contents containing directory traversal sequences.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a tar archive contains entries with .. (dot dot) sequences in their path names, which should normally be rejected or properly sanitized during extraction. When the affected minitar gem processes such archives, it fails to adequately validate these path sequences, enabling attackers to write files outside of the intended target directory. This flaw directly maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The vulnerability allows an attacker to potentially overwrite critical system files, inject malicious code, or create unauthorized files in arbitrary locations on the filesystem where the extraction process has write permissions.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-10173 extends beyond simple file system manipulation, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the target environment. Systems that rely on ruby applications for processing user-uploaded archives, automated backup restoration, or content distribution are particularly vulnerable. The attack vector requires only that an attacker can influence the contents of a tar archive that will be processed by an affected system, making it particularly dangerous in web applications where users can upload files or in automated systems that extract archives from external sources. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through scripting and T1566 for initial access through social engineering, as attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistence or escalate privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10173 focus on immediate remediation through version updates of the affected gems, specifically upgrading to minitar 0.6 or archive-tar-minitar 0.5.2 and later versions. Organizations should also implement additional protective measures including input validation of archive contents, restricting extraction permissions to minimal required directories, and implementing proper sandboxing techniques for archive processing. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper path validation in archive handling libraries and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of third-party dependencies in ruby applications. System administrators should conduct thorough inventory checks to identify all systems using vulnerable versions of these gems and implement patch management procedures to ensure timely updates across all affected environments.