CVE-2018-1000031 in UnZIP
Summary
by MITRE
A heap-based buffer overflow exists in InfoZip UnZip version 6.10c22 that allows an attacker to perform a denial of service or to possibly achieve code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1000031 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow in InfoZip UnZip version 6.10c22 that exposes systems to both denial of service and potential code execution attacks. This flaw resides within the decompression functionality of the unzip utility, which is widely deployed across various operating systems and network environments. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation during the processing of malformed archive files, specifically when handling compressed data structures that exceed allocated memory boundaries. Security researchers have classified this issue as a heap overflow due to the nature of memory corruption occurring in the heap memory segment rather than stack-based vulnerabilities. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond the allocated buffer space and potentially overwrite adjacent memory regions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious archive file containing specially constructed data that triggers the buffer overflow condition during decompression. When the unzip utility processes such malformed input, the program attempts to write data beyond the intended buffer boundaries, causing memory corruption that can result in application crashes, arbitrary code execution, or system instability. The heap memory corruption can be leveraged to manipulate program execution flow through techniques such as return-oriented programming or direct memory overwrite attacks. This vulnerability affects systems running InfoZip UnZip version 6.10c22 and potentially other versions within the same release cycle. The impact is particularly severe given that unzip is a fundamental utility present on virtually all unix-like systems and many windows environments, making the attack surface extremely broad.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations that rely on automated decompression processes or handle untrusted archive files from external sources. The potential for denial of service attacks can disrupt critical business operations when systems become unresponsive due to application crashes or memory corruption. In more severe scenarios, successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the decompressing process, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple application crashes as it can be exploited through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, and file transfer protocols. Organizations using systems that process untrusted archive files are particularly at risk, as the vulnerability can be triggered through automated processes without user interaction. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a code injection technique under the T1059 category, where adversaries leverage buffer overflow vulnerabilities to execute malicious code.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-1000031 focus primarily on immediate remediation through software updates and patches provided by InfoZip. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to patched versions of InfoZip UnZip that address the heap overflow vulnerability, typically versions 6.10 or later that include proper bounds checking and input validation. System administrators should implement strict file validation policies for archive files, particularly those received from external sources or untrusted networks. Additional protective measures include running unzip with reduced privileges, implementing sandboxing techniques for archive processing, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious archive file patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security patch management and input validation practices in preventing heap-based buffer overflow attacks. Security monitoring should include detection of abnormal unzip process behavior and memory allocation patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of potentially vulnerable software versions and establish incident response procedures for handling potential exploitation attempts.