CVE-2026-26960 HIGH

CVE-2026-26960: node-tar has Arbitrary File Read/Write via Hardlink Target Escape Through Symlink Chain in Extraction

Vendor Isaacs
Product node-tar
Weakness CWE-22 · Path traversal
Published February 20, 2026
Last update February 20, 2026

CVSS base score

7.1/10
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required None
User interaction Required
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

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

What the vulnerability does

01Description

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.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

February 20, 2026 CVE published
February 20, 2026 Record updated