Wget: User-assisted file creation or overwrite

Background

GNU Wget is a free software package for retrieving files using HTTP, HTTPS and FTP, the most widely-used Internet protocols.

Description

It was discovered that Wget was unsafely trusting server-provided filenames. This allowed attackers to overwrite or create files on the user’s system by sending a redirect from the expected URL to another URL specifying the targeted file.

Impact

An unauthenticated remote attacker may be able to create or overwrite local files by enticing the user to open an attacker controlled URL, possibly leading to execution of arbitrary code.

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All Wget users should upgrade to the latest version:

 # emerge --sync
 # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=net-misc/wget-1.12-r2"

NOTE: This is a legacy GLSA. Updates for all affected architectures are available since September 19, 2010. It is likely that your system is already no longer affected by this issue.