# unzip library unmaintained with known path-traversal vulnerability

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/rustsec-2026-0296-unzip-is-unmaintained-8d3c4670  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-21. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

Severity: info · Published 2026-09-21

The unzip Rust library, which extracts files from ZIP archives, has not been updated since its initial release in 2017 and is no longer maintained. It contains a known path-traversal flaw ("zip-slip") that allows attackers to extract files outside their intended directory, potentially overwriting system files or installing malware. No fixes will be issued for this vulnerability, making any application using this library vulnerable to exploitation.

Vendors: [crates.io](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/crates-io).

## Quick answers

**Is This vulnerability exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of This vulnerability being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is This vulnerability?** Informational severity, published 21 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** unzip (crates.io) SEMVER:introduced=0.0.0-0; Rust crates.io Unzip 0.1.0.

**Is there a fix for This vulnerability?** 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 This vulnerability attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected?** Check whether you run unzip (crates.io) or Rust crates.io Unzip 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 unzip crate is unmaintained with a single release (0.1.0 from December 2017) and contains an unpatched path-traversal vulnerability in ZIP file extraction. The vulnerability allows an attacker to craft a malicious ZIP archive with directory traversal sequences (e.g., "../") in filenames, enabling extraction outside the intended directory and potentially achieving code execution or data destruction. No patch is available; migration to actively maintained alternatives such as the zip crate is required.

## Affected products

- Rust crates.io unzip 0.1.0

## Timeline

- 2026-09-21: disclosed

## References

- [https://crates.io/crates/unzip](https://crates.io/crates/unzip)
- [https://rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2026-0296.html](https://rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2026-0296.html)

## Related threats

- [unzip library path traversal in archive extraction](https://junglewise.ai/threats/rustsec-2026-0297-unzip-archive-extraction-is-vulnerable-to-path-1aa6167e)