CVE-2026-101894 @xhmikosr/decompress: Path traversal via symlink chain
Attackers can exploit symlink chains in archives to read or write files outside the target directory, potentially leading to remote code execution.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-101894?
CVE-2026-101894 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in XhmikosR decompress, published on 28 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
The decompress package for Node.js extracts archives. Prior to 10.2.2 and 11.1.4, the default decompress(input, output) API relies on lexical containment checks that do not account for the kernel following a planted symlink chain. An attacker can supply a crafted archive containing chained symlink entries so that a later entry resolves outside the output directory. This allows files outside output to be read or written, and overwriting startup scripts or configuration can lead to remote code execution. The maintained @xhmikosr/decompress package is fixed in 10.2.2 and 11.1.4, but the separately affected unmaintained decompress package remains unpatched through 4.2.1. This vulnerability results from a bypass of the incomplete hardening for CVE-2026-53486. @xhmikosr/decompress is fixed in versions 10.2.2 and 11.1.4.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-101894?
6 open source packages ship an affected version, including @xhmikosr/decompress and decompress.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
@xhmikosr/decompress npm | All versions | 10.2.2 |
@xhmikosr/decompress npm | All versions | 10.2.2 |
@xhmikosr/decompress npm | From 11.0.0 | 11.1.4 |
@xhmikosr/decompress npm | From 11.0.0 | 11.1.4 |
decompress npm | All versions to 4.2.1 | None |
decompress npm | All versions to 4.2.1 | None |
How do I fix CVE-2026-101894?
Upgrade @xhmikosr/decompress to a fixed version for your release line: 10.2.2 or 11.1.4.
Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.
Is CVE-2026-101894 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-101894 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Public exploit code: 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-hrh2-vp3x-79xf, MINI-f8wr-25hq-6mhp, MINI-p372-5wx7-jwvr, MINI-xrrc-fcjx-mq7g, ROOT-APP-NPM-CVE-2026-101894.