// For flags

CVE-2018-20482

Ubuntu Security Notice USN-4692-1

Severity Score

4.7
*CVSS v3.1

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

1
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

GNU Tar through 1.30, when --sparse is used, mishandles file shrinkage during read access, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (infinite read loop in sparse_dump_region in sparse.c) by modifying a file that is supposed to be archived by a different user's process (e.g., a system backup running as root).

GNU Tar, hasta la versión 1.30, cuando se emplea --sparse, gestiona de manera incorrecta el encogimiento de archivos durante el acceso de lectura, lo que permite que usuarios locales provoquen una denegación de servicio (bucle infinito de lectura en sparse_dump_region en sparse.c) modificando un archivo que debería ser archivado por el proceso de un usuario diferente (por ejemplo, un backup del sistema que se ejecuta como root).

Chris Siebenmann discovered that tar incorrectly handled extracting files resized during extraction when invoked with the --sparse flag. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 12.04 ESM, Ubuntu 14.04 ESM, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. Daniel Axtens discovered that tar incorrectly handled certain malformed tar files. If a user or automated system were tricked into processing a specially crafted tar archive, a remote attacker could use this issue to cause tar to crash, resulting in a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Medium
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Partial
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2018-12-26 CVE Reserved
  • 2018-12-26 CVE Published
  • 2024-08-05 CVE Updated
  • 2024-08-05 First Exploit
  • 2025-03-30 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
CWE
  • CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Gnu
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Tar
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<= 1.30
Search vendor "Gnu" for product "Tar" and version " <= 1.30"
-
Affected
Debian
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Debian Linux
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8.0
Search vendor "Debian" for product "Debian Linux" and version "8.0"
-
Affected
Debian
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Debian Linux
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9.0
Search vendor "Debian" for product "Debian Linux" and version "9.0"
-
Affected
Opensuse
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Leap
Search vendor "Opensuse" for product "Leap"
15.0
Search vendor "Opensuse" for product "Leap" and version "15.0"
-
Affected