CVE-2021-32804

Arbitrary File Creation/Overwrite due to insufficient absolute path sanitization

HIGH
8.1
CVSS Score
Published: August 3, 2021 at 07:10 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 03:53 AM UTC
4 products affected across 4 vendorsGraalVMSinec Infrastructure Network ServicesTar

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Severity
HIGH8.1
Exploit prediction
EPSS 15%

Description

The npm package "tar" (aka node-tar) before versions 6.1.1, 5.0.6, 4.4.14, and 3.3.2 has a arbitrary File Creation/Overwrite vulnerability due to insufficient absolute path sanitization. node-tar aims to prevent extraction of absolute file paths by turning absolute paths into relative paths when the `preservePaths` flag is not set to `true`. This is achieved by stripping the absolute path root from any absolute file paths contained in a tar file. For example `/home/user/.bashrc` would turn into `home/user/.bashrc`. This logic was insufficient when file paths contained repeated path roots such as `////home/user/.bashrc`. `node-tar` would only strip a single path root from such paths. When given an absolute file path with repeating path roots, the resulting path (e.g. `///home/user/.bashrc`) would still resolve to an absolute path, thus allowing arbitrary file creation and overwrite. This issue was addressed in releases 3.2.2, 4.4.14, 5.0.6 and 6.1.1. Users may work around this vulnerability without upgrading by creating a custom `onentry` method which sanitizes the `entry.path` or a `filter` method which removes entries with absolute paths. See referenced GitHub Advisory for details. Be aware of CVE-2021-32803 which fixes a similar bug in later versions of tar.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 1.0.1.1
Affected range stops below 1.0.1.1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v < 3.2.24.0.0 ≤ v < 4.4.145.0.0 ≤ v < 5.0.66.0.0 ≤ v < 6.1.1
Affected range stops below 3.2.2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 4.4.14, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.0.6, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 6.1.1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
60%
v < 3.2.2v < 4.4.14v < 5.0.6v < 6.1.1
Affected range stops below 3.2.2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 4.4.14, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.0.6, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 6.1.1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

References (6)

x_refsource_MISCMitigationThird Party Advisory
https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1770
x_refsource_MISCProductThird Party Advisory
https://www.npmjs.com/package/tar
x_refsource_MISCPatchThird Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html

CVSS

Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-22

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