Medium severity · published Sep 24, 2025
CVE-2025-8869
Fallback tar extraction in pip doesn't check symbolic links point to extraction directory
5.9
CVSS
0.5%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
When extracting a tar archive pip may not check symbolic links point into the extraction directory if the tarfile module doesn't implement PEP 706.
Note that upgrading pip to a "fixed" version for this vulnerability doesn't fix all known vulnerabilities that are remediated by using a Python version that implements PEP 706.
Note that this is a vulnerability in pip's fallback implementation of tar extraction for Python versions that don't implement PEP 706
and therefore are not secure to all vulnerabilities in the Python 'tarfile' module. If you're using a Python version that implements PEP 706
then pip doesn't use the "vulnerable" fallback code.
Mitigations include upgrading to a version of pip that includes the fix, upgrading to a Python version that implements PEP 706 (Python >=3.9.17, >=3.10.12, >=3.11.4, or >=3.12),
applying the linked patch, or inspecting source distributions (sdists) before installation as is already a best-practice.
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.5% · higher than 40% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
PI
pip · Python Packaging Authority
before 25.3 · source: vendor
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-8869
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-8869
github.com
https://github.com/pypa/pip/pull/13550
mail.python.org
https://mail.python.org/archives/list/security-announce@python.org/thread/IF5A3GCJY3VH7BVHJKOWOJFKTW7VFQEN/
lists.debian.org
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00028.html
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