CVE-2022-1271 Path traversal in gzip, xz-utils
An attacker can exploit insufficient filename validation in zgrep to overwrite arbitrary files on the system via crafted multi-line filenames.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2022-1271?
CVE-2022-1271 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 31 Aug 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
An arbitrary file write vulnerability was found in GNU gzip's zgrep utility. When zgrep is applied on the attacker's chosen file name (for example, a crafted file name), this can overwrite an attacker's content to an arbitrary attacker-selected file. This flaw occurs due to insufficient validation when processing filenames with two or more newlines where selected content and the target file names are embedded in crafted multi-line file names. This flaw allows a remote, low privileged attacker to force zgrep to write arbitrary files on the system.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-1271?
It affects 4 products.
Linux distribution packages (40)
gzip AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.9-13.el8_5 |
xz AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 5.2.4-4.el8_6 |
xz-devel AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 5.2.4-4.el8_6 |
xz-libs AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 5.2.4-4.el8_6 |
xz-lzma-compat AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 5.2.4-4.el8_6 |
xz AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 5.2.5-8.el9_0 |
xz-devel AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 5.2.5-8.el9_0 |
xz-libs AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 5.2.5-8.el9_0 |
xz-lzma-compat AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 5.2.5-8.el9_0 |
gzip Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.5-11.el7_9 |
gzip-debuginfo Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.5-11.el7_9 |
xz Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-compat-libs Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-debuginfo Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-devel Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-libs Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-lzma-compat Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-compat-libs Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-debuginfo Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-devel Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-lzma-compat Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
gzip Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.5-11.el7_9 |
gzip-debuginfo Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.5-11.el7_9 |
xz Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-compat-libs Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-debuginfo Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-devel Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-libs Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-lzma-compat Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
gzip Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.5-11.el7_9 |
gzip-debuginfo Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.5-11.el7_9 |
xz Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-compat-libs Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-debuginfo Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-devel Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-libs Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
xz-lzma-compat Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:5.2.2-2.el7_9 |
gzip Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 0:1.9-13.el8_5 |
gzip-debuginfo Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 0:1.9-13.el8_5 |
gzip-debugsource Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 0:1.9-13.el8_5 |
Products include Debian Debian Linux, Gnu Gzip, Redhat Jboss Data Grid, Tukaani Xz.
How do I fix CVE-2022-1271?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.
Is CVE-2022-1271 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-1271 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux
Sources
Also known as ALPINE-CVE-2022-1271, ALSA-2022:1537, ALSA-2022:4940, ALSA-2022:4991, AZL-10819, CLEANSTART-2025-BC18774 and 52 more.