python / python/cpython

TarFile.extractall() doesn't properly handle UNC paths

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OS-windows stdlib type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug report

Bug description:

TarFile.extractall() does not perform path normalization before calling os.lstat(). This is an issue on Windows as the resulting path ends us using Windows-style (\\) and unix-style (/) path separators. This results in the following error: OSError: [WinError 123] The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect: '\\\\?\\Z:\\extracted\\double-conversion-v3.1.4.tar.gz\\double-conversion-3.1.4/test/cctest'.

from Lib import tarfile


with tarfile.open(r'\\?\Z:\downloads\double-conversion-v3.1.4.tar.gz') as t:
    t.extractall(r'\\?\Z:\extracted\double-conversion-v3.1.4.tar.gz')
CPython versions tested on:

3.13, CPython main branch

Operating systems tested on:

Windows

Linked PRs
  • gh-143665

Contributor guide

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start in Lib/tarfile and reproduce the reported TarFile.extractall() case with the Windows UNC-style paths shown in the issue. Trace the path passed to os.lstat(); done means the example no longer raises the reported WinError on Windows.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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