Pathname Canonicalization Vulnerability in Widelands
Summary
CVE-2011-4675: The pathname canonicalization functionality in io/filesystem/filesystem.cc in Widelands before 15.1 expands leading ~ (tilde) characters to home-directory pathnames but does not restrict use of these characters in string... Affects widelands versions < 1:15-3. Fixed in 1:15-3. How to fix ↓
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Background
Widelands is an open-source strategy game that allows players to build and expand settlements in a medieval setting. It is available for various Linux distributions, including Debian 10, 11, 12, and 13. The game relies on the io/filesystem/filesystem.cc module for handling file operations.
Vulnerability Detail
The pathname canonicalization functionality in io/filesystem/filesystem.cc in Widelands before version 15.1 expands leading ~ (tilde) characters to home-directory pathnames. However, it fails to restrict the use of these characters in strings received from the network. This oversight enables remote attackers to conduct absolute path traversal attacks and overwrite arbitrary files by including a ~ in a pathname used for a file transfer during an Internet game. This vulnerability is distinct from CVE-2011-1932.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
1:15-3
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade widelandsTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, users can disable file transfers during Internet games in Widelands to mitigate the risk of path traversal attacks. This can be achieved by modifying the game settings or network configuration.
Conclusion
The pathname canonicalization vulnerability in Widelands before version 15.1 poses a risk of remote attackers overwriting arbitrary files on the target system. It is crucial to update to the latest version of Widelands to mitigate this vulnerability. For further assistance and support in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for widelands →
FAQ
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to overwrite arbitrary files on the target system, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data loss, or system compromise.
Yes, all versions of Widelands before 15.1 are affected by this vulnerability.
No, authentication is not required. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability without any authentication.
Yes, this vulnerability can be exploited remotely by sending specially crafted strings to the Widelands game server.
There is no evidence of active exploits targeting this vulnerability in the wild at the moment.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for widelands.
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