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CVE-2021-32804
August 03, 2021
The npm package "tar" (aka node-tar) before versions 6.1.1, 5.0.6, 4.4.14, and 3.3.2 has a arbitrary File Creation/Overwrite vulnerability due to insufficient absolute path sanitization. node-tar aims to prevent extraction of absolute file paths by turning absolute paths into relative paths when the "preservePaths" flag is not set to "true". This is achieved by stripping the absolute path root from any absolute file paths contained in a tar file. For example "/home/user/.bashrc" would turn into "home/user/.bashrc". This logic was insufficient when file paths contained repeated path roots such as "////home/user/.bashrc". "node-tar" would only strip a single path root from such paths. When given an absolute file path with repeating path roots, the resulting path (e.g. "///home/user/.bashrc") would still resolve to an absolute path, thus allowing arbitrary file creation and overwrite. This issue was addressed in releases 3.2.2, 4.4.14, 5.0.6 and 6.1.1. Users may work around this vulnerability without upgrading by creating a custom "onentry" method which sanitizes the "entry.path" or a "filter" method which removes entries with absolute paths. See referenced GitHub Advisory for details. Be aware of CVE-2021-32803 which fixes a similar bug in later versions of tar.
Affected Packages
tar (NPM):
Affected version(s) >=4.0.0 <4.4.14
Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 4.4.14
tar (NPM):
Affected version(s) >=5.0.0 <5.0.6
Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 5.0.6
tar (NPM):
Affected version(s) >=0.0.1 <3.2.2
Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.2.2
tar (NPM):
Affected version(s) >=6.0.0 <6.1.1
Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 6.1.1
Additional Notes
The description of this vulnerability differs from MITRE.
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CVSS v4
Base Score:
9.2
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
PASSIVE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
HIGH
Vulnerable System Integrity
HIGH
Vulnerable System Availability
NONE
Subsequent System Confidentiality
HIGH
Subsequent System Integrity
HIGH
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
8.2
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
NONE
CVSS v2
Base Score:
5.8
Access Vector
NETWORK
Access Complexity
MEDIUM
Authentication
NONE
Confidentiality Impact
NONE
Integrity Impact
PARTIAL
Availability Impact
PARTIAL
Weakness Type (CWE)
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
EPSS
Base Score:
84.98