CVE-2026-26960

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

HIGH
7.1
CVSS Score
Published: February 20, 2026 at 01:07 AM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 10:26 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorTar

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Severity
HIGH7.1
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.3%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

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

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

v < 7.5.8
Affected range stops below 7.5.8, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatableTotal impact

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

CVSS

7.1HIGHGitHub_M
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
NONE
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-22

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