Compressing is a compressing and uncompressing lib for node. In version 2.0.0 and 1.10.3 and prior, Compressing extracts TAR archives while restoring symbolic links without validating their targets. By embedding symlinks that resolve outside the intended extraction directory, an attacker can cause subsequent file entries to be written to arbitrary locations on the host file system. Depending on the extractor’s handling of existing files, this behavior may allow overwriting sensitive files or creating new files in security-critical locations. This issue has been patched in versions 1.10.4 and 2.0.1.
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.
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