CVE-2018-11771 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2018-11771 impacting Apache Commons Compress versions 1.7 to 1.17. Find out how this vulnerability can lead to a denial of service attack and steps to mitigate the risk.
Apache Commons Compress 1.7 to 1.17 Denial of Service Vulnerability
Understanding CVE-2018-11771
Apache Commons Compress vulnerability impacting versions 1.7 to 1.17
What is CVE-2018-11771?
When reading a specially crafted ZIP archive, Apache Commons Compress 1.7 to 1.17's ZipArchiveInputStream may fail to indicate the end of the file accurately, potentially leading to an infinite stream and enabling a denial of service attack.
The Impact of CVE-2018-11771
- Allows for a denial of service attack against services using Compress' zip package
Technical Details of CVE-2018-11771
Vulnerability details and affected systems
Vulnerability Description
- Failure to return correct EOF indication after reaching the end of the stream
- Can result in an infinite stream when combined with java.io.InputStreamReader
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Apache Commons Compress
- Vendor: Apache Software Foundation
- Versions: 1.7 to 1.17
Exploitation Mechanism
- Crafted ZIP archive triggers the vulnerability
Mitigation and Prevention
Steps to address and prevent the CVE-2018-11771 vulnerability
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Apache Commons Compress to a non-vulnerable version
- Monitor for any unusual activity that could indicate a denial of service attack
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software and libraries to the latest secure versions
- Implement network and application-level security measures
Patching and Updates
- Apply patches and security updates promptly to mitigate known vulnerabilities