GHSA-xx64-wwv2-hcqq astral-tokio-tar: `unpack_in` can chmod arbitrary directories by following symlinks
An attacker can craft a tar archive to change permissions of arbitrary directories outside the extraction path via symlink traversal.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is GHSA-xx64-wwv2-hcqq?
GHSA-xx64-wwv2-hcqq is a path traversal vulnerability in astral-tokio-tar, published on 27 Apr 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
Impact
In versions 0.6.0 and earlier of astral-tokio-tar, the unpack_in API could inadvertently modify the permissions of external (i.e. non-archive) directories outside of the archive. An attacker could use this to contrite a tar archive that maliciously changes directory permissions outside of its intended hierarchy. This flaw only affects directories; individual file permissions cannot be modified via it.
See GHSA-j4xf-2g29-59ph for the equivalent flaw in the tar crate.
Patches
Versions 0.6.1 and newer of astral-tokio-tar use fs::symlink_metdata rather than fs::metadata, avoiding the traversal.
Workarounds
Users are advised to upgrade to version 0.6.1 or newer to address this advisory.
Users should experience no breaking changes as a result of the patch above.
Resources
- GHSA-j4xf-2g29-59ph for the original
tarvulnerability
Attribution
- Reporter: Adam Harvey (@lawngnome)
Which versions are affected by GHSA-xx64-wwv2-hcqq?
3 open source packages ship an affected version, including astral-tokio-tar.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
astral-tokio-tar crates.io | All versions | 0.6.1 |
astral-tokio-tar crates.io | All versions | 0.6.1 |
astral-tokio-tar crates.io | From 0.0.0-0 | 0.6.1 |
How do I fix GHSA-xx64-wwv2-hcqq?
Upgrade astral-tokio-tar to 0.6.1 or later.
Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.
Is GHSA-xx64-wwv2-hcqq being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of GHSA-xx64-wwv2-hcqq in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as RUSTSEC-2026-0113.