CVE-2026-11940: tarfile extraction filter bypass allows escaping the destination directory

Published Jun 23, 2026
·
Updated

tarfile.extractall() with the 'data' or 'tar' filter could be bypassed by a crafted archive where a hardlink references a symlink stored at a deeper name than the hardlink itself. The extraction fallback validated the symlink at it's archived location but recreated it at the hardlink's shallower path, letting a relative target the filter judged contained escape the destination directory. This allowed a malicious tar archive to create a symlink pointing outside the destination, enabling out-of-destination file reads or writes. This was an incomplete fix of CVE-2025-4330.

Affected Software

1 affected component
Python CPython tarfile

Event History

Jun 23, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·04:04 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·04:04 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·05:05 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·05:16 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-11940?

CVE-2026-11940 has a high severity rating of 7.8 according to the CVSS score.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-11940?

To fix CVE-2026-11940, you should upgrade to the latest version of Python CPython that includes security patches addressing this vulnerability.

3

What type of attack does CVE-2026-11940 pertain to?

CVE-2026-11940 pertains to path traversal attacks that can be exploited during the extraction of crafted tarfile archives.

4

What software is affected by CVE-2026-11940?

CVE-2026-11940 affects Python CPython, particularly in its tarfile module.

5

What is the risk associated with CVE-2026-11940?

The risk associated with CVE-2026-11940 includes potential unauthorized file access or manipulation due to the symlink traversal vulnerability.

Contact

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