CVE-2008-0888

The NEEDBITS macro in the inflate_dynamic function in inflate.c for unzip can be invoked using invalid buffers, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial…

published March 17, 2008

CVSS
—
EPSS
6%
Percentile
93.5
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚠️ A rogue input can cause a crash in your unzip utility! The NEEDBITS macro in inflate_dynamic has a hidden danger lurking in invalid buffers — a perfect recipe for chaos! 🔥 Think of the unzip function as a restaurant kitchen. If a chef is given an incorrect order, it could lead to a kitchen disaster, causing plates to crash to the floor and even risking food contamination — that's how invalid data can throw the unzip process off balance. In this case, remote attackers can trigger a denial of service, causing your unzip utility to crash unexpectedly. There's a chance this could escalate to executing arbitrary code, leading to more severe consequences. Yikes!

Put simply

Think of the unzip function as a restaurant kitchen. If a chef is given an incorrect order, it could lead to a kitchen disaster, causing plates to crash to the floor and even risking food contamination — that's how invalid data can throw the unzip process off balance. The vulnerability in CVE-2008-0888 stems from the NEEDBITS macro in the inflate_dynamic function, which can be triggered with invalid buffers. This allows attackers to manipulate memory, potentially leading to a crash or arbitrary code execution.

What to do

In this case, remote attackers can trigger a denial of service, causing your unzip utility to crash unexpectedly. There's a chance this could escalate to executing arbitrary code, leading to more severe consequences. Yikes! To safeguard against this issue, ensure you are using an updated version of the unzip utility. Regularly check for patches or updates that address this vulnerability. Additionally, consider implementing strong input validation to prevent invalid data from being processed. You've got this! By staying proactive and keeping your software updated, you can keep your systems safe and secure! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.06290 · 93.5th percentile
Published
2008-03-17T21:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 17 MAR 21:00Z
    The NEEDBITS macro in the inflate_dynamic function in inflate.c for unzip can be invoked using invalid buffers, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial…
    cvelistv5