Vulnerability Details : CVE-2021-32803
The npm package "tar" (aka node-tar) before versions 6.1.2, 5.0.7, 4.4.15, and 3.2.3 has an arbitrary File Creation/Overwrite vulnerability via insufficient symlink protection. `node-tar` aims to guarantee that any file whose location would be modified by a symbolic link is not extracted. This is, in part, achieved by ensuring that extracted directories are not symlinks. Additionally, in order to prevent unnecessary `stat` calls to determine whether a given path is a directory, paths are cached when directories are created. This logic was insufficient when extracting tar files that contained both a directory and a symlink with the same name as the directory. This order of operations resulted in the directory being created and added to the `node-tar` directory cache. When a directory is present in the directory cache, subsequent calls to mkdir for that directory are skipped. However, this is also where `node-tar` checks for symlinks occur. By first creating a directory, and then replacing that directory with a symlink, it was thus possible to bypass `node-tar` symlink checks on directories, essentially allowing an untrusted tar file to symlink into an arbitrary location and subsequently extracting arbitrary files into that location, thus allowing arbitrary file creation and overwrite. This issue was addressed in releases 3.2.3, 4.4.15, 5.0.7 and 6.1.2.
Vulnerability category: Directory traversal
Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2021-32803
Probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days: 0.89%
Percentile, the proportion of vulnerabilities that are scored at or less: ~ 80 % EPSS Score History EPSS FAQ
CVSS scores for CVE-2021-32803
Base Score | Base Severity | CVSS Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5.8
|
MEDIUM | AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P |
8.6
|
4.9
|
nvd@nist.gov |
8.1
|
HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H |
2.8
|
5.2
|
nvd@nist.gov |
8.2
|
HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N |
1.8
|
5.8
|
security-advisories@github.com |
CWE ids for CVE-2021-32803
-
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.Assigned by: security-advisories@github.com (Secondary)
-
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.Assigned by: nvd@nist.gov (Primary)
References for CVE-2021-32803
-
https://github.com/npm/node-tar/security/advisories/GHSA-r628-mhmh-qjhw
Arbitrary File Creation/Overwrite via insufficient symlink protection due to directory cache poisoning · Advisory · npm/node-tar · GitHubMitigation;Third Party Advisory
-
https://www.npmjs.com/package/tar
tar - npmProduct;Third Party Advisory
-
https://github.com/npm/node-tar/commit/9dbdeb6df8e9dbd96fa9e84341b9d74734be6c20
Remove paths from dirCache when no longer dirs · npm/node-tar@9dbdeb6 · GitHubPatch;Third Party Advisory
-
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html
Oracle Critical Patch Update Advisory - October 2021Patch;Third Party Advisory
-
https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1771
npmMitigation;Third Party Advisory
-
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-389290.pdf
Patch;Third Party Advisory
Products affected by CVE-2021-32803
- cpe:2.3:a:oracle:graalvm:20.3.3:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:oracle:graalvm:21.2.0:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:siemens:sinec_infrastructure_network_services:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:tar_project:tar:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:tar_project:tar:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:tar_project:tar:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:tar_project:tar:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*