CVE-2021-38511Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary directory creation via symlink traversal

Published Aug 10, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Path traversal in the Rust tar crate before 0.4.36 allows attackers to create arbitrary directories via a crafted TAR archive. Archive::unpack follows an archive symlink containing .., then Entry::unpack_in calls fs::create_dir_all on the resulting untrusted path before verifying that it remains under the destination. A consuming application must extract the attacker-controlled archive; file creation fails, but parent directories remain outside the extraction root.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in the Rust tar crate before 0.4.36 allows attackers to create arbitrary directories via a crafted TAR archive. Archive::unpack follows an archive symlink containing .., then Entry::unpack_in calls fs::create_dir_all on the resulting untrusted path before verifying that it remains under the destination. A consuming application must extract the attacker-controlled archive; file creation fails, but parent directories remain outside the extraction root.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-38511
Published
Aug 10, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-59
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 10, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.5RustSec Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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