# CVE-2026-69973: Windows Libarchive path traversal vulnerability

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-69973-improper-limitation-of-a-pathname-to-a-restricted-directory-path  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-13. Updated: 2026-10-16  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-69973 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-10-13

Windows Libarchive, a library used to extract and manage compressed archive files, contains a path traversal vulnerability that allows an attacker to write files outside their intended directory. An attacker could exploit this when a user extracts a maliciously crafted archive, potentially overwriting system files or gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data on the system.

Technologies: [Libarchive](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/libarchive). Vendors: [Libarchive](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/libarchive).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-69973 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-69973 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-69973?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 13 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Libarchive Windows versions.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-69973?** 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-2026-69973 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-69973?** Check whether you run Libarchive 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

The vulnerability is a path traversal flaw in Windows Libarchive's archive extraction functionality that fails to properly validate and restrict pathnames within archive entries. An attacker can craft a malicious archive containing entries with directory traversal sequences (e.g., "../../../") to write files to arbitrary locations on the filesystem when extracted. The attack requires user interaction to extract the archive but can occur over a network if the archive is obtained remotely.

## Affected products

- Libarchive Libarchive Windows versions

## Timeline

- 2026-10-13: disclosed

## References

- [https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69973](https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69973)

## Related threats

- [Windows Libarchive double free vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-70062-double-free-in-windows-libarchive-allows-an-unauthorized-attacker)
- [Libarchive relative path traversal in Windows](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-69968-relative-path-traversal-in-windows-libarchive-allows-an)
- [libarchive gzip writer heap buffer overflow in original-filename](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-64031-libarchive-gzip-writer-heap-buffer-overflow-in-original-filename)
- [libarchive heap overflow in PAX SUN.holesdata parsing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-15028-libarchive-heap-overflow-in-pax-sun-holesdata-parsing)
- [libarchive double free in RAR5 reader](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-14164-libarchive-double-free-in-rar5-reader)