CVE-2025-8869

Fallback tar extraction in pip doesn't check symbolic links point to extraction directory

MEDIUM
5.9
CVSS Score
Published: September 24, 2025 at 02:56 PM UTC
Updated: September 26, 2026 at 12:27 AM UTC
2 products affected across 2 vendorsPipPip

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Severity
MEDIUM5.9
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.5%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

When extracting a tar archive pip may not check symbolic links point into the extraction directory if the tarfile module doesn't implement PEP 706. Note that upgrading pip to a "fixed" version for this vulnerability doesn't fix all known vulnerabilities that are remediated by using a Python version that implements PEP 706. Note that this is a vulnerability in pip's fallback implementation of tar extraction for Python versions that don't implement PEP 706 and therefore are not secure to all vulnerabilities in the Python 'tarfile' module. If you're using a Python version that implements PEP 706 then pip doesn't use the "vulnerable" fallback code. Mitigations include upgrading to a version of pip that includes the fix, upgrading to a Python version that implements PEP 706 (Python >=3.9.17, >=3.10.12, >=3.11.4, or >=3.12), applying the linked patch, or inspecting source distributions (sdists) before installation as is already a best-practice.

Affected

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

All versions
v < 25.3
Affected range stops below 25.3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

5.9MEDIUMPSF
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusDEFERRED

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