CVE-2024-55587: Python libarchive Path Traversal Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-75mx-hw5q-pvx3
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CVSS 8.8
CWE-22
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2024-55587 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.8) path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')) affecting Python libarchive libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves python-libarchive directory traversal. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2024-55587 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2024-55587
GHSA Identifier GHSA-75mx-hw5q-pvx3
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.8
CWE Classification CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Affected Product Python libarchive
Package Ecosystem PyPI
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2024-55587

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Python libarchive dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

python-libarchive fixed: Latest secure release 
pip install python-libarchive>=Latest secure release
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

pip show python-libarchive

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2024-55587, inspect your installed packages using pip:

pip show python-libarchive

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Python libarchive in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The pip show python-libarchive command checks currently installed packages in your active Python environment.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'), where 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. In Python libarchive, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

python-libarchive through 4.2.1 allows directory traversal (to create files) in extract in zip.py for ZipFile.extractall and ZipFile.extract.

CVE-2024-55587 Affected Python libarchive Versions

1 component(s)
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
python-libarchive
pypi/python-libarchive
PyPI
≤ 4.2.1

References

NVD — CVE-2024-55587 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-55587
Python libarchive Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/smartfile/python-libarchive/issues/42
Python libarchive Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/smartfile/python-libarchive/pull/41
Python libarchive Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/smartfile/python-libarchive
Python libarchive Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/smartfile/python-libarchive/blob/c7677411bfc4ab5701d343bc6ebd9e35c990e80e/libarchive/zip.py#L107

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-55587?
CVE-2024-55587 is a security vulnerability in Python libarchive involving python-libarchive directory traversal under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal').
Which Python libarchive versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches across affected packages: python-libarchive.
What version fixes CVE-2024-55587?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is python-libarchive affected?
Yes, python-libarchive is affected in releases prior to Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to Latest secure release or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2024-55587?
CVE-2024-55587 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2024-55587?
CVE-2024-55587 is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') (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.).
How can I check PyPI dependencies for CVE-2024-55587?
Run the dependency tree command: 'pip show python-libarchive'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-75mx-hw5q-pvx3",
  "modified" : "2024-12-12T19:19:33Z",
  "published" : "2024-12-12T03:33:05Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2024-55587" ],
  "summary" : "python-libarchive directory traversal",
  "details" : "python-libarchive through 4.2.1 allows directory traversal (to create files) in extract in zip.py for ZipFile.extractall and ZipFile.extract.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "python-libarchive"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "4.2.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-55587"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/smartfile/python-libarchive/issues/42"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/smartfile/python-libarchive/pull/41"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/smartfile/python-libarchive"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/smartfile/python-libarchive/blob/c7677411bfc4ab5701d343bc6ebd9e35c990e80e/libarchive/zip.py#L107"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-22" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2024-12-12T19:19:33Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2024-12-12T02:08:22Z"
  }
}