# CVE-2011-5325: Path traversal in n/a

> Remote attackers can read or modify files outside the current directory via symlink manipulation in BusyBox tar.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Aug 2017
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2011-5325, GHSA-28cm-w7c9-p27f, UBUNTU-CVE-2011-5325

## What is CVE-2011-5325?

CVE-2011-5325 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 7 Aug 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Directory traversal vulnerability in the BusyBox implementation of tar before 1.22.0 v5 allows remote attackers to point to files outside the current working directory via a symlink.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-5325?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Busybox Busybox, Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-5325?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2011-5325 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-5325 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2022-48174](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-48174/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-42377](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42377/): Memory corruption in busybox (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-2148](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2148/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-28391](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-28391/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-16544](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16544/): Code injection in n/a (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2011-5325 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-5325 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 7 Aug 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-5325 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-5325/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-5325/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-5325
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-5325
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-5325

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-5325/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.