Patool before 4.0.5 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the safe_extract() function in patoolib/programs/py_tarfile.py when running on Python before 3.12, where the is_within_directory() helper uses os.path.commonprefix() for character-level string comparison instead of path-level comparison, allowing a crafted archive member path to bypass the containment check. Attackers can supply a malicious archive with specially crafted member paths to write arbitrary files.

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Attack Requirements None

User Interaction Passive

Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact Low

Vulnerable System Integrity Impact Low

Vulnerable System Availability Impact None

Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None

Subsequent System Integrity Impact None

Subsequent System Availability Impact None

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact Low

Integrity Impact Low

Availability Impact None

User Interaction Required

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
wummel patool affected
Version Status Constraints
0 affected < 4.0.5

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Project Subscriptions

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
https://github.com/wummel/patool/blob/main/doc/changelog.txt cve-icon
https://github.com/wummel/patool/releases/tag/4.0.5 cve-icon
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/patool-path-traversal-via-safe-extract-function cve-icon
History

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Patool before 4.0.5 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the safe_extract() function in patoolib/programs/py_tarfile.py when running on Python before 3.12, where the is_within_directory() helper uses os.path.commonprefix() for character-level string comparison instead of path-level comparison, allowing a crafted archive member path to bypass the containment check. Attackers can supply a malicious archive with specially crafted member paths to write arbitrary files.
Title Patool < 4.0.5 Path Traversal via safe_extract() Function
Weaknesses CWE-22
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 5.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-06-26T19:31:07.165Z

Reserved: 2026-03-04T15:39:26.871Z

Link: CVE-2026-29509

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

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cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses