# CVE-2026-74764: Path Traversal in TAR Archive Extraction Allows Arbitrary File Write in Pandora

> Attackers can write arbitrary files outside the extraction directory via crafted TAR archives, potentially leading to code execution or denial of service.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-47rx-4cw9-crm9

## What is CVE-2026-74764?

CVE-2026-74764 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in pandora-analysis pandora, published on 15 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Pandora contains a path traversal vulnerability in its TAR archive extraction functionality. When processing a submitted TAR archive, the extractor passed archive member names directly to Python's tarfile.TarFile.extract() without applying an extraction filter.

An attacker able to submit a specially crafted TAR archive containing malicious member paths, such as paths using ../ sequences or absolute paths, could cause extracted files to be written outside the intended extraction directory. This may allow the attacker to overwrite files accessible to the Pandora worker process and could potentially result in application compromise, arbitrary code execution, or denial of service depending on the files targeted and the privileges of the Pandora process.

The vulnerability is corrected by using Python's filter='data' extraction filter, which rejects or sanitizes dangerous TAR members, including paths that escape the destination directory and unsafe link targets. 

The weakness corresponds to MITRE's general path traversal category, which includes archive extraction cases where attacker-controlled filenames cause files to be written outside the intended directory.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-74764?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-74764?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-74764 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-74764 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-74764 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-74764 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-74764 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in pandora-analysis pandora, published on 15 Aug 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-2026-74764 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: pandora-analysis pandora. 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-2026-74764/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-74764/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-74764
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-74764
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-74764

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-74764/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.