Directory Traversal Vulnerability in GNU Tar Affecting File Overwrites

CVE-2025-45582

What is CVE-2025-45582?

GNU Tar versions up to 1.35 are susceptible to a directory traversal vulnerability that allows malicious actors to overwrite critical files through crafted TAR archives. The exploit employs a two-step process: first, an archive is extracted containing a symlink that directs to a vital directory, such as a user's home directory. Second, a subsequent archive is extracted which includes a critical file, targeting the original file with a relative pathname that begins with the symlink. This approach circumvents the standard protection by exploiting the traversal mechanism and can pose significant risks to server applications that process untrusted TAR files, potentially leading to unauthorized access and information disclosure.

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