CVE-2018-20835: A vulnerability was found in tar-fs before 1.16.2

Q: How do I fix CVE-2018-20835?

tar-fs: upgrade to 1.16.2. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2018-20835 being exploited?

CVE-2018-20835 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2018-20835 affect?

CVE-2018-20835 affects tar-fs. Severity is high (CVSS 7.5). A vulnerability was found in tar-fs before 1.16.2. An Arbitrary File Overwrite issue exists when extracting a tarball containing a hardlink to a file that already exists on the system, in conjunction with a later plain file with the same na

Q: How urgent is CVE-2018-20835?

Priority 57/100. High severity; Public exploit reference; Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action

This week

HIGH 7.5REMOTEUPGRADE

CVE-2018-20835 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) affecting tar-fs. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

A vulnerability was found in tar-fs before 1.16.2. An Arbitrary File Overwrite issue exists when extracting a tarball containing a hardlink to a file that already exists on the system, in conjunction with a later plain file with the same name as the hardlink. This plain file content replaces the existing file content.

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference
Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.5 (High)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	None
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	2.4% (top 16%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-20
Published	2019-04-30
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: tar-fs project

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2019-04-30 19:29 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 01:53 UTCUpdated Record last modified

tar-fs project tar-fs UPGRADE

Affected: < 1.16.2

Fixed in: 1.16.2

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy tar-fs || rpm -q tar-fs || tar-fs --version

2. UPGRADE to 1.16.2 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade tar-fs

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade tar-fs

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2018-20835?

tar-fs: upgrade to 1.16.2. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2018-20835 being exploited?

CVE-2018-20835 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2018-20835 affect?

CVE-2018-20835 affects tar-fs. Severity is high (CVSS 7.5). A vulnerability was found in tar-fs before 1.16.2. An Arbitrary File Overwrite issue exists when extracting a tarball containing a hardlink to a file that already exists on the system, in conjunction with a later plain file with the same na

How urgent is CVE-2018-20835?

Priority 57/100. High severity; Public exploit reference; Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action

References

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