← Vulnerability feed

Vulnerability record · CVE-2026-42496 · published 26 May 2026

CVE-2026-42496: Archive\ \ link following vulnerability

AArchive\ · \

Archive::Tar versions before 3.08 for Perl extract symlinks with attacker controlled targets outside the extraction directory. _make_special_file() passes the tar header's linkname to symlink() without validating it against absolute paths or .. segments. The secure-extract mode check that guards regular file extraction does not cover the symlink target. A subsequent open through the extracted name reads or writes the attacker chosen path.

9.1 CVSS 3.1 Critical EPSS 0.51% · top 58.5% CWE-59 · Link followingCWE-22 · Path traversal
9.1CVSS 3.1 base score
0.51%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
10References
24 Jul 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

Archive::Tar versions before 3.08 for Perl extract symlinks with attacker controlled targets outside the extraction directory. _make_special_file() passes the tar header's linkname to symlink() without validating it against absolute paths or .. segments. The secure-extract mode check that guards regular file extraction does not cover the symlink target. A subsequent open through the extracted name reads or writes the attacker chosen path.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
https://github.com/jib/archive-tar-new/commit/17c873492a05eddc0de18c1485e0b2cccd5a9158.patch Patch
https://metacpan.org/release/BINGOS/Archive-Tar-3.08/changes Release Notes
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-42497 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:30851
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:30852
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:30856
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:30857
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-42496
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2481314
https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-42496.json

Track CVE-2026-42496 inside VULONE

Watch it alongside the ransomware crews, C2 infrastructure and forum chatter that reference it, query it through the API and pull it into your SIEM over TAXII.

Start free Open in platform

Related vulnerabilities

Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

7.5CVE-2026-9538Archive\ \ vulnerabilityArchive::Tar versions before 3.10 for Perl allow memory exhaustion via attacker controlled entry size field in tar header. _read_tar() reads each ent…EPSS 0.56%7.5CVE-2026-42497Archive\ \ link following vulnerabilityArchive::Tar versions before 3.08 for Perl extract hardlinks to attacker controlled paths outside the extraction directory. _make_special_file() pass…EPSS 0.47%7.5CVE-2018-12015Canonical ubuntu linux link following vulnerabilityIn Perl through 5.26.2, the Archive::Tar module allows remote attackers to bypass a directory-traversal protection mechanism, and overwrite arbitrary…EPSS 7.3%6.8CVE-2007-4829Archive\ \ path traversal vulnerabilityDirectory traversal vulnerability in the Archive::Tar Perl module 1.36 and earlier allows user-assisted remote attackers to overwrite arbitrary files…EPSS 4.3%7.8CVE-2026-81963Windows Update Stack link-following privilege escalationWindows Update Stack resolves links improperly before accessing files, a link-following flaw (CWE-59) compounded by improper access control (CWE-284)…KEVEPSS 0.39%analysed7.8CVE-2015-5287ABRT abrt-hook-ccpp symlink privilege escalationThe abrt-hook-ccpp helper in Red Hat's Automatic Bug Reporting Tool (ABRT) before 2.7.1 follows symlinks on files with predictable names, letting a l…KEVEPSS 5.0%analysed7.8CVE-2026-41091Microsoft Defender link following allows local privilege elevationMicrosoft Defender's malware protection engine resolves links improperly before accessing files, a link-following flaw (CWE-59). A local attacker wit…KEVEPSS 0.44%analysed7.2CVE-2024-57728SimpleHelp zip slip path traversal allows arbitrary file write and code executionSimpleHelp remote support software v5.5.7 and earlier lets admin users upload a crafted zip file that writes files anywhere on the file system via zi…KEVEPSS 65%analysed

Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2026-42496), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-27). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.