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IT leaders also need to scan their applications to see if any were developed in Rust and are at risk.
Why is it critical?
TAR files are used in Unix and Linux systems for bundling multiple directories and files into an archive file that retains the full directory structure and metadata of the original information, explains Robert Beggs, head of Canadian incident response firm DigitalDefence. Archive files are commonly used in backups, or for packing software for purposes such as distributing source code.
Because of the way in which particular versions of the TAR libraries have been written, a potential vulnerability exists, he said in an email to CSO, noting, “In the worst case, it would allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on a host system and engage in malicious actions, such as overwriting critical files (configuration files, build scripts), or gaining unauthorized filesystem access.” Exploitation could also result in the compromise of any system that extracts files from the malicious TAR.
