CVE-2026-24909 in vlt
Summary
by MITRE • 01/28/2026
vlt before 1.0.0-rc.10 mishandles path sanitization for tar, leading to path traversal during extraction.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-24909 affects the vlt tool version prior to 1.0.0-rc.10, specifically concerning its handling of path sanitization during tar extraction operations. This issue represents a critical security flaw that enables attackers to manipulate file paths and potentially execute unauthorized operations on the target system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of archive entry paths, allowing maliciously crafted tar files to contain directory traversal sequences that bypass normal security checks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the tool's failure to properly sanitize file paths extracted from tar archives. When processing compressed archives, the vlt tool does not adequately validate or filter path components that may contain traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\.. which could allow an attacker to write files outside the intended extraction directory. This flaw operates at the core of archive handling functionality where the tool should enforce strict path validation to prevent unauthorized file system access patterns.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for systems that rely on vlt for package management or archive extraction tasks. Attackers could exploit this weakness by crafting malicious tar files that, when processed by the vulnerable tool, would overwrite critical system files, create backdoor access points, or execute arbitrary code through file placement. The impact extends beyond simple file corruption as it potentially enables privilege escalation and persistent access to compromised systems. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-22 Path Traversal and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it provides a pathway for executing malicious code through compromised file placement.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe in environments where automated package management or deployment processes utilize the affected vlt tool. Systems that automatically extract archives from untrusted sources become vulnerable to exploitation, potentially allowing attackers to compromise entire deployment pipelines. Organizations using version control systems or automated build processes that depend on vlt for artifact management face heightened risk of supply chain attacks. The vulnerability's impact is amplified when considering that many development environments and CI/CD pipelines rely on such tools for automated operations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate version updates to vlt 1.0.0-rc.10 or later, which contain proper path sanitization mechanisms. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of systems that utilize vlt to identify potential exposure points and implement additional monitoring for suspicious file system activities. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level controls to restrict access to potentially malicious archives and establish strict validation procedures for all archive content before processing. The remediation process should include thorough testing of updated versions to ensure that path sanitization functions operate correctly across all supported platforms and use cases.