CVE-2026-9538
CVE-2026-9538 is a high-severity vulnerability in Archive with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-789.
Key facts
- Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
- EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (35th percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-31775
- Weakness: CWE-789
- Affected product: Archive
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
Archive::Tar versions before 3.10 for Perl allow memory exhaustion via attacker controlled entry size field in tar header. _read_tar() reads each entry's payload with $handle->read($$data, $block), where $block is derived from the entry's 12-byte size field in the tar header with no upper bound on that value. A crafted header declaring a multi-gigabyte size causes Perl to allocate a scalar of that size.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-9538?
- Archive::Tar versions before 3.10 for Perl allow memory exhaustion via attacker controlled entry size field in tar header. _read_tar() reads each entry's payload with $handle->read($$data, $block), where $block is derived from the entry's 12-byte size field in the tar header with no upper bound on that value. A crafted header declaring a multi-gigabyte size causes Perl to allocate a scalar of that size.
- How severe is CVE-2026-9538?
- CVE-2026-9538 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
- Is CVE-2026-9538 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- What products are affected by CVE-2026-9538?
- CVE-2026-9538 affects Archive. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-9538?
- 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.
- Does CVE-2026-9538 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
- Yes. CVE-2026-9538 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-31775.
- When was CVE-2026-9538 published?
- CVE-2026-9538 was published on 2026-05-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
- https://github.com/jib/archive-tar-new/commit/f9af01426038e29d9578825a0cd3626946ab08c7.patch
- https://metacpan.org/release/BINGOS/Archive-Tar-3.10/changes
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/26/4
Affected products (1)
- cpe:2.3:a:archive\:\:tar_project:archive\:\:tar:*:*:*:*:*:perl:*:*
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