IzPack has Path Traversal in UnpackerBase that allows writing files outside the installation directory via malicious pack entries

### Summary IzPack's `UnpackerBase.unpack()` resolves pack-file target paths without any canonical-path or directory-containment check. An attacker who distributes a trojanized installer JAR (the format is unsigned) can include pack entries whose `targetPath` contains `../` sequences. When a victim runs the installer the file is written to an attacker-chosen location on disk under the victim's privileges — including startup folders, PATH directories, or system locations. ### Details **Vulnerable method:** `com.izforge.izpack.installer.unpacker.UnpackerBase.unpack()` **Source file:** `izpack-installer/src/main/java/com/izforge/izpack/installer/unpacker/UnpackerBase.java` **Vulnerable lines (5.2.4):** ~618–627 The relevant code path is: ```java String targetPath = packFile.getTargetPath(); // attacker-controlled String path = IoHelper.translatePath(targetPath, variables); // separator swap ONLY File target = new File(path); // no canonical check // ... mkdirs() then file is written to `target` ``` `IoHelper.translatePath()` (source: `izpack-util/.../IoHelper.java`) performs **only** file-separator character conversion (`'/'` ↔ `File.separatorChar`) and contains no security validation whatsoever. There is no call to `getCanonicalPath()`, no `startsWith(installDir)` containment check, and no normalisation of `..` segments. Because IzPack installer JARs carry **no digital signature**, an attacker can repack any legitimate installer with malicious `PackFile` entries. The file format is a standard ZIP with serialised resources — no integrity protection. **Confirmed unpatched in HEAD (fetched from GitHub, 2025):** ``` git show HEAD:izpack-installer/src/main/java/com/izforge/izpack/installer/unpacker/UnpackerBase.java \ | grep -n 'getCanonicalPath\|startsWith.*install\|traversal' # (no output — fix not present) ``` ### PoC ```bash # 1. Clone IzPack source and view the vulnerable code directly git clone --depth=1 --branch izpack-5.2.4 https://github.com/izpack/izpack.git sed -n '615,650p' izpack/izpack-installer/src/main/java/com/izforge/izpack/installer/unpacker/UnpackerBase.java # 2. Compile and run the following Java reproducer (no IzPack classpath needed): ``` ```java // TestPathTraversal.java import java.io.*; public class TestPathTraversal { // Exact replication of IoHelper.translatePath() — separator swap, no security static String translatePath(String destination) { return destination.replace('/', File.separatorChar); } public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception { String installDir = "/tmp/izpack_install"; String maliciousPath = installDir + "/../../../tmp/ESCAPED_FILE"; // This is what UnpackerBase does: String path = translatePath(maliciousPath); File target = new File(path); // resolves traversal target.getParentFile().mkdirs(); try (FileWriter fw = new FileWriter(target)) { fw.write("Written outside install dir via IzPack path traversal\n"); } System.out.println("File written to: " + target.getCanonicalPath()); System.out.println("Inside installDir: " + target.getCanonicalPath().startsWith(new File(installDir).getCanonicalPath())); } } ``` ```bash javac TestPathTraversal.java && java TestPathTraversal # Output: File written to: /tmp/ESCAPED_FILE # Inside installDir: false ``` ### Impact Any user who runs an IzPack-generated installer is affected. The attacker only needs to distribute a repackaged installer — a common social-engineering vector. On Windows (the primary IzPack platform) the victim typically runs the installer as a local administrator, so the attacker can write to `%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup`, `%SystemRoot%\System32`, or any other location reachable by the victim user. On Linux/macOS the same applies for user-writable locations. No authentication, no special privileges and no interaction beyond running the installer are required on the victim side. ### Credits This issue was identified by Michał Majchrowicz, Marcin Wyczechowski, and Paweł Zdunek, members of the AFINE Team.