# CVE-2026-44604: RPM rpmuncompress command injection in doUntar

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44604-rpm-rpmuncompress-command-injection-in-dountar  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-28. Updated: 2026-05-28  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-44604 · Severity: high · CVSS 7 · Published 2026-05-28

A security vulnerability was found in the RPM package manager's archive extraction utility. When a user or automated system extracts a specially crafted archive file (such as ZIP or 7z), the tool can be tricked into executing hidden malicious commands. This could allow an attacker to take control of a user's system or disrupt automated software build processes.

Technologies: [RPM Project RPM](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/rpm). Vendors: [RPM Project](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/rpm-project).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-44604 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-44604 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-44604?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7, published 28 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** RPM Project RPM 6.0.1-5.1.hum1, upstream 6.0.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-44604?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-44604 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-44604?** Check whether you run RPM Project RPM at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A command injection vulnerability exists in the `doUntar()` function within `tools/rpmuncompress.cc` of the RPM package manager. The utility fails to properly sanitize the top-level directory name (`sr`) retrieved from certain archive formats (ZIP, 7z, GEM) before interpolating it into a shell command string executed via `popen()`. An attacker can exploit this by crafting an archive with a single top-level directory name containing shell metacharacters (specifically single quotes). When a user executes `rpmuncompress -x -C` or uses RPM source-preparation workflows like `%setup -C`, the injected commands are executed with the privileges of the user running the extraction. The vulnerability is present in version 6.0.1 and likely other versions using the `singleRoot()` and `moveup` construction.

## Affected products

- RPM Project RPM 6.0.1-5.1.hum1, upstream 6.0.1

## Timeline

- 2026-04-23: disclosed: Initial report to Red Hat Bugzilla
- 2026-05-28: advisory: CVE published by NVD/Red Hat

## References

- [https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-44604](https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-44604)
- [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2460967](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2460967)

## Related threats

- [RPM heap-based buffer overflow in RPMTAG_FILESIGNATURES parsing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-103242-a-heap-based-buffer-overflow-flaw-was-found-in-rpm-rpmtag)
- [RPM command injection in macro expansion of spec file basenames](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-95521-a-command-injection-flaw-was-found-in-rpm-installing-or)