The _ar_read_header function in archive_read_support_format_ar.c in libarchive before 3.2.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of ser
The _ar_read_header function in archive_read_support_format_ar.c in libarchive before 3.2.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds stack read) via a crafted ar file.
- Published
- Sep 20, 2016
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 1.9% · 79th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-125
Sign in to follow · You’ll be notified if a followed record enters KEV, gets an exploit or is updated.
Report tools
Action score
23
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 1.9%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| libarchive | libarchive | cpe:2.3:a:libarchive:libarchive |
| novell | suse linux enterprise software development kit | cpe:2.3:a:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_software_development_kit |
| novell | suse linux enterprise desktop | cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_desktop |
| novell | suse linux enterprise server | cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_server |
| canonical | ubuntu linux | cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- canonical ubuntu linux12.04
- canonical ubuntu linux14.04
- canonical ubuntu linux15.10
- canonical ubuntu linux16.04
- libarchive libarchiveup to 3.1.901a inclusive
- novell suse linux enterprise desktop12.0
- novell suse linux enterprise server12.0
- novell suse linux enterprise software development kit12.0
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | libarchive | before 3.2.0-2 | 3.2.0-2 |
| Debian:7 | libarchive | before 3.0.4-3+wheezy2 | 3.0.4-3+wheezy2 |
| Debian:8 | libarchive | before 3.1.2-11+deb8u2 | 3.1.2-11+deb8u2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | libarchive | before 0:2.8.3-7.el6_8 | 0:2.8.3-7.el6_8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | libarchive-debuginfo | before 0:2.8.3-7.el6_8 | 0:2.8.3-7.el6_8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | libarchive-devel | before 0:2.8.3-7.el6_8 | 0:2.8.3-7.el6_8 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | bsdcpio | before 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | bsdtar | before 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | libarchive | before 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | libarchive-debuginfo | before 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | libarchive-devel | before 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP1 | libarchive | before 3.1.2-22.1 | 3.1.2-22.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4 | bsdtar | before 2.5.5-9.1 | 2.5.5-9.1 |
Same product
libarchive: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2024-26256Libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability56Plan
- CVE-2022-36227In libarchive before 3.6.2, the software does not check for an error after calling calloc function that can return with a NULL pointer if th40Plan
- CVE-2016-1541Heap-based buffer overflow in the zip_read_mac_metadata function in archive_read_support_format_zip.c in libarchive before 3.2.0 allows remo38Monitor
- CVE-2024-37407Libarchive before 3.7.4 allows name out-of-bounds access when a ZIP archive has an empty-name file and mac-ext is enabled.36Monitor
- CVE-2020-9308archive_read_support_format_rar5.c in libarchive before 3.4.2 attempts to unpack a RAR5 file with an invalid or corrupted header (such as a 36Monitor
- CVE-2018-1000878libarchive version commit 416694915449219d505531b1096384f3237dd6cc onwards (release v3.1.0 onwards) contains a CWE-416: Use After Free vulne36Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:libarchive | 3.2.0-2 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:bsdcpio | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:bsdtar | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:libarchive | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:libarchive-debuginfo | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:libarchive-devel | 0:3.1.2-10.el7_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:bsdtar | 2.5.5-9.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:libarchive | 3.1.2-22.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP1 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- A user must open a link or visit a page.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-125 · Out-of-bounds ReadCVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
ATT&CK techniques
—
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-07/msg00025.html
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-1844.html
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-1850.html
- www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3657
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/06/17/2
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/06/17/5
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinjul2016-3090544.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/91301
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3033-1
- blog.fuzzing-project.org/47-Many-invalid-memory-access-issues-in-libarchive.html
- github.com/libarchive/libarchive/issues/511
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-03
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.