CVE-2026-26960

node-tar has Arbitrary File Read/Write via Hardlink Target Escape Through Symlink Chain in Extraction

node-tar is a full-featured Tar for Node.js. When using default options in versions 7.5.7 and below, an attacker-controlled archive can create a hardlink inside the extraction directory that points to a file outside the extraction root, enabling arbitrary file read and write as the extracting user. Severity is high because the primitive bypasses path protections and turns archive extraction into a direct filesystem access primitive. This issue has been fixed in version 7.5.8.

Affected

isaacs · node-tar

CVSS v3.1 NVD

7.1 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

EPSS

0.23% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, 13th percentile

Published

2026-02-20

Proof-of-concept exploits (1)

• advisories/GHSA-83g3-92jg-28cx

Security advisories

• isaacs/node-tar/security/advisories/GHSA-83g3-92jg-28cx
• isaacs/node-tar/commit/2cb1120bcefe28d7ecc719b41441ade59c52e384

References

• CVE Record
• NVD entry