CVE-2026-101894

@xhmikosr/decompress: Path traversal via symlink chain

Workarounds

None. Do not extract untrusted archives on affected versions. If you cannot upgrade, validate entries out of band and reject any whose resolved path escapes the target directory.

When extracting an untrusted archive with the default decompress(input, output) API, a crafted archive containing a chain of symlink entries can make a later entry resolve outside the output directory. The lexical containment checks pass, but the kernel follows the planted symlinks to a path outside output, letting an attacker write (and read) files outside the intended extraction directory. Overwriting startup scripts or configuration can lead to remote code execution.

This is a bypass of the hardening in GHSA-mp2f-45pm-3cg9. Any application that extracts attacker-controlled archives is affected.

Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.

CVE-2026-101894 has a CVSS score of 9.1 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (11.1.4, 10.2.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Already deployed Kodem?

Fixed in 11.1.4 (latest) and backported to 10.2.2 (release-v10 dist-tag). Upgrade to one of these.

The unmaintained upstream decompress package shares this flaw and will not be patched. Migrate to @xhmikosr/[email protected] (or @10.2.2).

1. What is CVE-2026-101894? CVE-2026-101894 is a critical-severity path traversal vulnerability in @xhmikosr/decompress (npm), affecting versions >= 11.0.0, <= 11.1.3. It is fixed in 11.1.4, 10.2.2. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-101894? CVE-2026-101894 has a CVSS score of 9.1 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which packages are affected by CVE-2026-101894?
   • @xhmikosr/decompress (npm) (versions >= 11.0.0, <= 11.1.3)
   • decompress (npm) (versions <= 4.2.1)
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-101894? Yes. CVE-2026-101894 is fixed in 11.1.4, 10.2.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-101894 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-101894 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-101894 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2026-101894?
   • Upgrade @xhmikosr/decompress to 11.1.4 or later
   • Upgrade @xhmikosr/decompress to 10.2.2 or later

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