CVE-2026-11972
Received Received - Intake
Tarfile Module Infinite Loop via Malformed Archive

Publication date: 2026-06-23

Last updated on: 2026-06-23

Assigner: Python Software Foundation

Description
When using the "tarfile" module with a file opened in "streaming mode" (mode="r|") the tarfile module did not properly handle EOF, meaning an archive could be parsed in an infinite loop.
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
Probability:
Percentile:
Meta Information
Published
2026-06-23
Last Modified
2026-06-23
Generated
2026-06-24
AI Q&A
2026-06-24
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-11972
EUVD
EUVD-2026-38630
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
python tarfile *
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-770 The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated.
CWE-606 The product does not properly check inputs that are used for loop conditions, potentially leading to a denial of service or other consequences because of excessive looping.
CWE-252 The product does not check the return value from a method or function, which can prevent it from detecting unexpected states and conditions.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Quick Actions
Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability occurs in the Python tarfile module when a file is opened in streaming mode (mode="r|"). The module does not properly handle the end-of-file (EOF) condition, which can cause the archive to be parsed in an infinite loop.

Impact Analysis

The impact of this vulnerability is that processing a tar archive in streaming mode could cause an application to enter an infinite loop, potentially leading to denial of service by consuming excessive CPU resources or causing the application to become unresponsive.

Chat Assistant
Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-11972. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70
EPSS Chart