Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A vulnerable Perl Archive::Tar extractor can create symbolic links that point outside the intended extraction folder. If later code reads from or writes through that extracted name, an attacker-controlled archive could expose or modify sensitive files. The CVSS score is critical, but the bundle does not show confirmed active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as urgent where untrusted archives are processed automatically or by exposed services. Prioritize patching internet-facing, multi-tenant, build, and import workflows first. If Archive::Tar is only used for trusted internal archives, urgency is lower but still warrants scheduled remediation.
Technical view
Archive::Tar before 3.08 passes the tar header linkname to symlink() without rejecting absolute paths or traversal segments. The secure extraction check protects regular files but not symlink targets. The flaw maps to CWE-22 and CWE-59 and can lead to confidentiality and integrity impact after follow-on file access.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in Perl applications, automation, CI, packaging, import, backup, or scanning workflows that use Archive::Tar before 3.08 to extract untrusted tar archives. Red Hat advisories indicate downstream package remediation exists, but product-specific status should be checked against vendor guidance.
Exploitation context
The source bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. The attack scenario requires a crafted tar archive and subsequent access through the extracted symlink name. CVSS indicates network reachability, low complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction in applicable deployments.
Researcher notes
The key gap is symlink target validation in _make_special_file(), not regular-file extraction. Analysis should focus on reachable extraction paths and post-extraction file operations. Do not assume compromise without evidence; the provided sources show severity and fixes, not exploitation in the wild.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Archive::Tar to version 3.08 or later.
- Apply relevant vendor packages and Red Hat advisories where applicable.
- Avoid extracting untrusted tar archives with vulnerable Archive::Tar versions.
- Run archive extraction in isolated, least-privileged temporary locations.
- Check vendor guidance for product-specific fixed package versions.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Perl dependencies for Archive::Tar versions before 3.08.
- Review services that accept or process user-supplied tar archives.
- Confirm vendor package status against Red Hat or distribution advisories.
- Verify extraction code rejects unsafe symlink targets after remediation.
- Check tests cover symlink targets with absolute paths and traversal segments.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-22: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCWE-59: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-42496 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.1 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N3.95.2CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H1.56redhat-SADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.1CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.2HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- Source timelineCPANSec
Issue reported.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- Source timelineCPANSec
Version 3.08 released.
- ADP timelineredhat-SADP
Made public.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- ADP timelineredhat-SADP
Reported to Red Hat.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
- 2026-05-26T02:00:52.414Z: Reported to Red Hat.
- 2026-05-26T00:17:19.110Z: Made public.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/jib/archive-tar-new/commit/17c873492a05eddc0de18c1485e0b2cccd5a9158.patchCVE reference, CPANSec · patch
- https://metacpan.org/release/BINGOS/Archive-Tar-3.08/changesCVE reference, CPANSec · release-notes
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-42497CVE reference, CPANSec · related
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-42496CVE reference, redhat-SADP · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2481314CVE reference, redhat-SADP · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-42496.jsonCVE reference, redhat-SADP · x_sadp-csaf-vex
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:30857CVE reference, redhat-SADP · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:30851CVE reference, redhat-SADP · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:30856CVE reference, redhat-SADP · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:30852CVE reference, redhat-SADP · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.