Microsoft Windows up to Server 2025 Libarchive path traversal

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in Microsoft Windows up to Server 2025. Impacted is an unknown function of the component Libarchive. This manipulation causes path traversal. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-69973. The attack can be initiated remotely. There is not any exploit available. To fix this issue, it is recommended to deploy a patch.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows up to Server 2025. It has been declared as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is some unknown processing of the component Libarchive. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a path traversal vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-22. The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. As an impact it is known to affect integrity. The summary by CVE is:

Improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory ('path traversal') in Windows Libarchive allows an unauthorized attacker to perform tampering over a network.

It is possible to read the advisory at msrc.microsoft.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-69973 since 08/04/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 10/13/2026). The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1006 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem.

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Microsoft

Name

• Windows

Version

• 10 21H2
• 10 22H2
• 10 1809
• 11 23H2
• 11 24H2
• 11 25H2
• 11 26H1
• 11 26H2
• Server 2019
• Server 2022
• Server 2025

License

• commercial

Website

• Vendor: https://www.microsoft.com/
• Product: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Discussion