tar-rs vulnerability

tar-rs versions 0.4.11 through 0.4.46 contain a symlink escape vulnerability in the Builder::append_dir_all() function that allows attackers to read files outside the intended source root directory by planting symlinks in an attacker-controlled directory. When a privileged process archives an untrusted directory, the function follows symlinks without verifying that resolved targets remain within the source root, causing out-of-bounds files to be included in the archive as regular files and disclosed to the attacker.

Published 10 Aug 2026Updated 24 Sep 20262 sources
CVSS 7.1

What happened

tar-rs versions 0.4.11 through 0.4.46 contain a symlink escape vulnerability in the Builder::append_dir_all() function that allows attackers to read files outside the intended source root directory by planting symlinks in an attacker-controlled directory. When a privileged process archives an untrusted directory, the function follows symlinks without verifying that resolved targets remain within the source root, causing out-of-bounds files to be included in the archive as regular files and disclosed to the attacker.

Affected versions

tar-rs: 0.4.11 through 0.4.46 (semver) Fixed: See vendor advisory.

Why it matters

Review the vendor advisory and exposure of the affected product to determine operational impact.

Detection & mitigation

  • Apply vendor-provided updates or mitigations.
  • Review affected product exposure and access logs.

Public PoC references

No public PoC reference has passed the current publication threshold.