CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2015-8860

Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

Published: Jan 23, 2017 | Modified: Jan 24, 2017
CVSS 3.x
7.5
HIGH
Source:
NVD
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
CVSS 2.x
5 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
RedHat/V2
4.3 MODERATE
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
RedHat/V3
Ubuntu
MEDIUM

The tar package before 2.0.0 for Node.js allows remote attackers to write to arbitrary files via a symlink attack in an archive.

Weakness

The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.

Affected Software

Name Vendor Start Version End Version
Node.js Nodejs * 1.8.4 (including)
Node-tar Ubuntu artful *
Node-tar Ubuntu esm-apps/xenial *
Node-tar Ubuntu precise *
Node-tar Ubuntu trusty *
Node-tar Ubuntu trusty/esm *
Node-tar Ubuntu upstream *
Node-tar Ubuntu wily *
Node-tar Ubuntu xenial *
Node-tar Ubuntu yakkety *
Node-tar Ubuntu zesty *

Potential Mitigations

  • Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
  • Denying access to a file can prevent an attacker from replacing that file with a link to a sensitive file. Ensure good compartmentalization in the system to provide protected areas that can be trusted.

References