GLSA 200511-10: RAR: Format string and buffer overflow vulnerabilities

Severity:normal
Title:RAR: Format string and buffer overflow vulnerabilities
Date:11/13/2005
Bugs: #111926
ID:200511-10

Synopsis

RAR contains a format string error and a buffer overflow vulnerability that may be used to execute arbitrary code.

Background

RAR is a powerful archive manager that can decompress RAR, ZIP and other files, and can create new archives in RAR and ZIP file format.

Affected packages

Package Vulnerable Unaffected Architecture(s)
app-arch/rar < 3.5.1 >= 3.5.1 All supported architectures

Description

Tan Chew Keong reported about two vulnerabilities found in RAR:

  • A format string error exists when displaying a diagnostic error message that informs the user of an invalid filename in an UUE/XXE encoded file.
  • Some boundary errors in the processing of malicious ACE archives can be exploited to cause a buffer overflow.

Impact

A remote attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by enticing a user to:

  • decode a specially crafted UUE/XXE file, or
  • extract a malicious ACE archive containing a file with an overly long filename.

When the user performs these actions, the arbitrary code of the attacker's choice will be executed.

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All RAR users should upgrade to the latest version:

    # emerge --sync
    # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-arch/rar-3.5.1"

References

Availability

This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website: http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200511-10.xml

Concerns?

Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the confidentiality and security of our users machines is of utmost importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at https://bugs.gentoo.org.

License

Copyright 2010 Gentoo Foundation, Inc; referenced text belongs to its owner(s). The contents of this document are licensed under the Creative Commons - Attribution / Share Alike license.

Thank you!