CVE-2016-6321
HighSummary
Directory traversal vulnerability in the safer_name_suffix function in GNU tar versions 1.14 through 1.29 may allow remote attackers to bypass an intended protection mechanism and write to arbitrary files due to improper sanitization of the file_name parameter.
Risk Assessment
Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to modify or overwrite critical files on the server, potentially leading to severe consequences for system integrity.
Recommendation
It is recommended to update GNU tar to the latest version to mitigate this vulnerability and implement additional safeguards against directory traversal attacks.
Other vulnerabilities in GNU tar
See all- CVE-2026-18477Medium
GNU tar has a TOCTOU vulnerability in incremental dumpdir 'X' rename handling. A local attacker with write access to a directory being backed up can influence the restore process if they have access to the system where the restore is performed. During restoration, files or directories may be created, renamed, or overwritten outside the intended extraction directory, potentially leading to unauthorized file modification or privilege escalation.
- CVE-2026-18508Medium
GNU tar has a vulnerability when extracting an archive with the --one-top-level option. Hardlink targets are not confined to the designated top-level directory and may resolve relative to the extraction working directory. A crafted archive can create hardlinks that escape the intended boundary and, when combined with a preexisting symbolic link under the working directory, may allow writing outside that boundary during a single extraction.
- CVE-1999-0202High
The GNU tar command, when used in FTP sessions, may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary commands.
Original NVD description (English source)
Directory traversal vulnerability in the safer_name_suffix function in GNU tar 1.14 through 1.29 might allow remote attackers to bypass an intended protection mechanism and write to arbitrary files via vectors related to improper sanitization of the file_name parameter, aka POINTYFEATHER.