CVE-2018-1324 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
A specially crafted ZIP archive can be used to cause an infinite loop inside of Apache Commons Compress' extra field parser used by the ZipFile and ZipArchiveInputStream classes in versions 1.11 to 1.15. This can be used to mount a denial of service attack against services that use Compress' zip package.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1324 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Apache Commons Compress library versions 1.11 through 1.15. This security issue stems from a flaw in the extra field parser implementation that processes ZIP archive metadata, specifically affecting the ZipFile and ZipArchiveInputStream classes. The vulnerability manifests when a maliciously crafted ZIP archive contains specially constructed extra fields that trigger an infinite loop during parsing operations, effectively consuming system resources and rendering affected services unavailable to legitimate users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the way Apache Commons Compress handles extra fields within ZIP archives, which are optional metadata sections that provide additional information about archive entries. When the parser encounters malformed or specially constructed extra field data, it enters an infinite loop where it continuously processes the same field data without proper termination conditions. This behavior occurs because the parser fails to validate the length or structure of extra field data before attempting to parse it, creating a scenario where malformed input causes the parsing routine to iterate indefinitely.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to services that rely on Apache Commons Compress for ZIP file processing, including web applications, file upload systems, backup solutions, and content management platforms. Attackers can exploit this weakness by uploading a malicious ZIP file that triggers the infinite loop, causing the target service to consume excessive CPU resources or become unresponsive entirely. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the vulnerability can be leveraged in distributed denial of service attacks, where multiple malicious archives are processed simultaneously to maximize resource exhaustion. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-835, which describes the weakness of an infinite loop or other endless iteration in software systems.
The exploitation of CVE-2018-1324 aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1499.004 for network denial of service and T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage in file processing contexts. Organizations using affected versions of Apache Commons Compress should immediately implement mitigations including updating to version 1.16 or later, implementing input validation for ZIP files, and deploying rate limiting mechanisms to prevent abuse. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing monitoring for unusual CPU usage patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and proper error handling in archive processing libraries, as highlighted in industry best practices for secure coding and the OWASP Top Ten security risks that emphasize the need for proper resource management and input sanitization in file processing operations.