CVE-2026-31802: isaacs node-tar Path Traversal

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-31802 is a high (CVSS 8.2) Path Traversal vulnerability in isaacs node-tar. EPSS estimates a 0.19% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 8.1% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.

Timeline

1. 09-03-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 10-03-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

node-tar is a full-featured Tar for Node.js. Prior to version 7.5.11, tar (npm) can be tricked into creating a symlink that points outside the extraction directory by using a drive-relative symlink target such as C:../../../target.txt, which enables file overwrite outside cwd during normal tar.x() extraction. This vulnerability is fixed in 7.5.11.

• CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.