CVE-2007-4131: Medium severity redhat Enterprise Linux vulnerability
Directory traversal vulnerability in the containsdotdot function in src/names.c in GNU tar allows user-assisted remote attackers to overwrite arbitrary files via certain //.. (slash slash dot dot) sequences in directory symlinks in a TAR archive.
Other sources
Directory traversal vulnerability was discovered in GNU tar. Vulnerability can be exploited by specially crafted tar archive to overwrite arbitrary file writable by user running tar. Problem occurs in containsdotdot function, which does not properly check names of directory symlinks.
Acknowledgements:
Red Hat would like to thank Dmitry V. Levin for reporting this issue.
— Red Hat
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2007-4131?
CVE-2007-4131 is categorized as a high severity vulnerability due to the potential for unrestricted file overwrite.
How do I fix CVE-2007-4131?
To fix CVE-2007-4131, update to GNU tar version 2:1.15.1-23.0.1.el5 or later.
What software is affected by CVE-2007-4131?
CVE-2007-4131 affects various GNU tar versions, specifically versions from 1.13 through 1.16.
Can CVE-2007-4131 be exploited remotely?
Yes, CVE-2007-4131 can be exploited by remote attackers with user-assisted methods.
What kind of attacks can CVE-2007-4131 facilitate?
CVE-2007-4131 can facilitate directory traversal attacks allowing attackers to overwrite arbitrary files.