# CVE-2026-17524: Path traversal in zip-lib

> An attacker can bypass directory traversal protections in zip-lib to read or modify files outside the intended extraction directory.

- **Severity:** High 8.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 28 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-73hr-7685-xwj3

## What is CVE-2026-17524?

CVE-2026-17524 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in zip-lib, published on 28 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Versions of the package zip-lib before 1.1.0 are vulnerable to Directory Traversal via the caching mechanism for path validation during the extraction process. An attacker can bypass security checks designed to prevent directory traversal. The intended security function, isOutsideTargetFolder, only checks and caches the path status when the initial directory symlink is created during the first extraction.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-17524?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-17524?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-17524 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-17524 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-17524 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-17524 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-17524 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in zip-lib, published on 28 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-17524 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: zip-lib. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17524/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17524/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-17524
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-17524
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-17524

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17524/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.