Arbitrary File Creation/Overwrite due to insufficient absolute path sanitization
Impact
Arbitrary File Creation, Arbitrary File Overwrite, Arbitrary Code Execution
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.
Patches
3.2.2 || 4.4.14 || 5.0.6 || 6.1.1
NOTE: an adjacent issue CVE-2021-32803 affects this release level. Please ensure you update to the latest patch levels that address CVE-2021-32803 as well if this adjacent issue affects your node-tar use case.
Workarounds
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.
const path = require('path')
const tar = require('tar')
tar.x({
file: 'archive.tgz',
// either add this function...
onentry: (entry) => {
if (path.isAbsolute(entry.path)) {
entry.path = sanitizeAbsolutePathSomehow(entry.path)
entry.absolute = path.resolve(entry.path)
}
},
// or this one
filter: (file, entry) => {
if (path.isAbsolute(entry.path)) {
return false
} else {
return true
}
}
})Users are encouraged to upgrade to the latest patch versions, rather than attempt to sanitize tar input themselves.
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm package | tar | < 3.2.2, >= 4.0.0, < 4.4.14, >= 5.0.0, < 5.0.6, >= 6.0.0, < 6.1.1 | 3.2.2, 4.4.14, 5.0.6, 6.1.1 |
References
- https://github.com/npm/node-tar/security/advisories/GHSA-3jfq-g458-7qm9
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-32804
- https://github.com/npm/node-tar/commit/1f036ca23f64a547bdd6c79c1a44bc62e8115da4
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-389290.pdf
- https://github.com/npm/node-tar
- https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1770
- https://www.npmjs.com/package/tar
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-22- Platform
- npm
- Package
tar- Disclosed
- 03.08.2021
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-3jfq-g458-7qm9 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: tar
All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 21
- First → latest
- 10.2017 07.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 1
- High 15
- Medium 5
Disclosures per year
- 2017: 1
- 2018: 0
- 2019: 1
- 2020: 0
- 2021: 5
- 2022: 0
- 2023: 0
- 2024: 1
- 2025: 1
- 2026: 12
-
Arbitrary File Creation/Overwrite due to insufficient absolute path sanitization this entry
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