---
id: "CVE-2020-36193"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2020-36193"]
title: "Tar.php in Archive_Tar through 1.4.11 allows write operations with Directory Traversal due to inadequate checking of\u2026"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.5
epss: 0.70595
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: [{"name": "PEAR Archive_Tar", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "php archive tar", "fixed": [], "affected": "<= 1.4.11", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "fedoraproject fedora", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 32", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "fedoraproject fedora", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 33", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "fedoraproject fedora", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 34", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "fedoraproject fedora", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 35", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "debian linux", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 9.0", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "debian linux", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 10.0", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "drupal", "fixed": ["7.78"], "affected": ">= 7.0, < 7.78", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "drupal", "fixed": ["8.9.13"], "affected": ">= 8.9.0, < 8.9.13", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "drupal", "fixed": ["9.0.11"], "affected": ">= 9.0.0, < 9.0.11", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "drupal", "fixed": ["9.1.3"], "affected": ">= 9.1.0, < 9.1.3", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["archive_tar", "drupal", "exploited", "package", "pear", "php"]
not_affected_if: ["archive_tar-not-installed", "no-untrusted-archives"]
published_at: "2021-01-18T20:15:12+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-36193", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2020-36193", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:45+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36193", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"}]
---

# Tar.php in Archive_Tar through 1.4.11 allows write operations with Directory Traversal due to inadequate checking of…

PEAR Archive_Tar, a PHP library for reading and writing tar archives, does not check symbolic links properly, allowing writes outside the intended directory during extraction. An attacker who supplies a crafted tar archive can write files to arbitrary locations the PHP process can reach.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:PEAR Archive_Tar affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:php archive tar affected <= 1.4.11 fixed ?
- vendor:fedoraproject fedora affected = 32 fixed ?
- vendor:fedoraproject fedora affected = 33 fixed ?
- vendor:fedoraproject fedora affected = 34 fixed ?
- vendor:fedoraproject fedora affected = 35 fixed ?
- vendor:debian linux affected = 9.0 fixed ?
- vendor:debian linux affected = 10.0 fixed ?
- vendor:drupal affected >= 7.0, < 7.78 fixed 7.78
- vendor:drupal affected >= 8.9.0, < 8.9.13 fixed 8.9.13
- vendor:drupal affected >= 9.0.0, < 9.0.11 fixed 9.0.11
- vendor:drupal affected >= 9.1.0, < 9.1.3 fixed 9.1.3

## Fix

Upgrade PEAR Archive_Tar to a fixed version (fixed version not stated in sources); check the vendor advisory for the exact release.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-36193
- 2026-10-23T19:13:45+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2020-36193
- 2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36193

## From the sources

PEAR Archive_Tar Tar.php allows write operations with directory traversal due to inadequate checking of symbolic links. PEAR stands for PHP Extension and Application Repository and it is an open-source framework and distribution system for reusable PHP components with known usage in third-party products such as Drupal Core and Red Hat Linux.

CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_