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 | esm-infra-legacy/trusty | * |
| 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.
Related Attack Patterns
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/132.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/17.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/35.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/76.html