Path traversal in Ludwig archive extraction lets attackers write files
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
Ludwig versions before 0.17.8 are affected. The extract_archive() function checks tar member names but not symlink or hard-link members, which allows link following (CWE-59) outside the extraction directory. An attacker who supplies a crafted archive can write content to arbitrary paths with the extracting process's privileges when a user processes it on Python 3.12 or 3.13. Python 3.14 is not affected because its default tar data filter rejects escaping links.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Description from the CNA
Ludwig is a low-code framework for building custom LLMs, neural networks, and other AI models. Prior to 0.17.8, ludwig.datasets.archives.extract_archive() validated tar member names before calling TarFile.extractall() but did not validate symlink members or hard-link members. A crafted archive could create a link that escaped the extraction directory and then write a later member through that link, placing attacker-controlled content at an arbitrary filesystem path with the extracting process's privileges. The same containment check used os.path.commonprefix, so a sibling path sharing the destination's character prefix could also pass. The dataset-loading path can download and extract configured archive URLs, but exploitation requires a user to process an archive from a source controlled or compromised by the attacker on supported Python 3.12 and 3.13 runtimes. Python 3.14 is not affected because its default tar data filter rejects escaping links. This issue is fixed in version 0.17.8.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
Update Ludwig (ludwig-ai ludwig) to version 0.17.8, which fixes this issue.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
- Fix · CNA ludwig (ludwig-ai) Fixed in 0.17.8
Timeline
- 2026-10-15 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-104103
- 2026-10-15 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-15 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
References
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences