CVE-2026-55738

June 17, 2026, 5:17 p.m.

8.7
High

Description

A stack-based buffer overflow exists in the raw_to_header() function in src/microtar.c in rxi microtar 0.1.0. The function copies the 100-byte name and linkname fields of a TAR header with strcpy() without guaranteeing null termination of the source. The POSIX ustar format permits these fixed-width fields to be fully populated with non-null bytes, so a crafted archive whose linkname field (followed by the trailing padding of the 512-byte raw header) contains no null terminator causes strcpy() to read past the end of the 512-byte raw header stack buffer and to write past the destination header buffer. A remote attacker who supplies a crafted TAR archive that the victim opens or parses (via mtar_open(), mtar_read_header(), or mtar_find()) can cause an out-of-bounds read and a stack buffer overflow, resulting in denial of service (crash) and potentially arbitrary code execution. Confirmed with AddressSanitizer: stack-buffer-overflow READ of size 356 in raw_to_header at src/microtar.c:112.

Product(s) Impacted

Vendor Product Versions
Rxi
  • Microtar
  • 0.1.0

Weaknesses

Common security weaknesses mapped to this vulnerability.

CWE-121
Stack-based Buffer Overflow
A stack-based buffer overflow condition is a condition where the buffer being overwritten is allocated on the stack (i.e., is a local variable or, rarely, a parameter to a function).

*CPE(s)

Affected systems and software identified for this CVE.

Type Vendor Product Version Update Edition Language Software Edition Target Software Target Hardware Other Information
a rxi microtar 0.1.0 / / / / / / /

References

https://github.com/rxi/microtar
https://github.com/rxi/microtar/blob/master/src/microtar.c#L111
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rxi/microtar/master/src/microtar.c

Tags

CWE-121
309f9ea4-e3e9-4c6c-b79d-e8eb01244f2c
2026-06-17
CVE-2026-55738

CVSS Score

8.7 / 10

CVSS Data - 4.0

  • Attack Vector: NETWORK
  • Attack Complexity: LOW
  • Attack Requirements: NONE
  • Privileges Required: NONE
  • User Interaction: PASSIVE
  • Scope:
  • Confidentiality Impact: HIGH
  • Integrity Impact: HIGH
  • Availability Impact: HIGH
  • Exploit Maturity: NOT_DEFINED

    • CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

    View Vector String

Timeline

Published: June 17, 2026, 2:18 p.m.
Last Modified: June 17, 2026, 5:17 p.m.

Status : Deferred

When a CVE is given this status the NVD does not plan analyze or re-analyze this CVE due to resource or other concerns.

More info

Source

309f9ea4-e3e9-4c6c-b79d-e8eb01244f2c

*Disclaimer: Some vulnerabilities do not have an associated CPE. To enhance the data, we use AI to infer CPEs based on CVE details. This is an automated process and might not always be accurate.