CVE-2018-5196 in ALZip
Summary
by MITRE
Alzip 10.76.0.0 and earlier is vulnerable to a stack overflow caused by improper bounds checking. By persuading a victim to open a specially-crafted LZH archive file, a attacker could execute arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5196 affects Alzip versions 10.76.0.0 and earlier, representing a critical stack overflow condition that arises from inadequate bounds checking mechanisms within the software's archive handling functionality. This flaw resides in the LZH archive file processing component of Alzip, which is widely used for decompressing and extracting files from compressed archives. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate the size and boundaries of data structures during the decompression process, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when Alzip processes a specially crafted LZH archive file that contains malformed data structures designed to exceed the allocated stack buffer space. The improper bounds checking allows an attacker to manipulate the decompression routine such that the program attempts to write data beyond the intended memory boundaries of the stack frame. This overflow condition can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations including return addresses, function pointers, or other control data structures that govern program execution flow.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems running affected versions of Alzip, as it enables remote code execution through social engineering techniques. Attackers can craft malicious LZH archive files that, when opened by a victim using the vulnerable software, will trigger the stack overflow condition and allow arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running Alzip. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only user interaction through normal file opening procedures, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network-based security measures.
The exploitability of CVE-2018-5196 aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack mitigation framework, where buffer overflow vulnerabilities represent one of the most prevalent and dangerous classes of software flaws. This vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and demonstrates the critical nature of proper input validation and memory management in software development practices. The attack can be classified under the attack technique of code injection, as documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, where adversaries leverage memory corruption vulnerabilities to execute malicious code within the target system.
Organizations and users should immediately update to Alzip versions that have been patched to address this vulnerability, as no reliable workarounds exist that can fully mitigate the risk without modifying the core software behavior. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing strict software update policies and maintaining awareness of vulnerable applications within the enterprise environment. Additionally, security teams should consider monitoring for suspicious archive file handling activities and implementing application whitelisting controls to prevent execution of untrusted archive files through vulnerable software components.