How severe is CVE-2020-28948?

CVE-2020-28948 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-28948 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 47% (99th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-28948?

CVE-2020-28948 primarily affects Php Archive Tar. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-28948?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2020-28948 published?

CVE-2020-28948 was published on 2020-11-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-28948

CVE-2020-28948 is a high-severity vulnerability in Php Archive Tar with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 47% places it in the 99th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-502.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 47% (99th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-502
Affected product: Php Archive Tar
Published: 2020-11-19
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Archive_Tar through 1.4.10 allows an unserialization attack because phar: is blocked but PHAR: is not blocked.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-28948?: Archive_Tar through 1.4.10 allows an unserialization attack because phar: is blocked but PHAR: is not blocked.
How severe is CVE-2020-28948?: CVE-2020-28948 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-28948 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 47% (99th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-28948?: CVE-2020-28948 primarily affects Php Archive Tar. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-28948?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2020-28948 published?: CVE-2020-28948 was published on 2020-11-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (8)

cpe:2.3:a:php:archive_tar:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:35:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:drupal:drupal:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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