tar-codec: a fast and secure tar parser for the Rust ecosystem
Summary
The article describes tar-codec, a fast and secure tar parser for Rust that isolates parsing into layered components and enforces strict tar-family distinctions to mitigate differential attacks. It explores background on tar formats (V7, UStar/pax, GNU tar), the security motivations for a new parser, and the architectural choices that improve safety and performance. The piece also covers lessons learned and how tar-codec reduces security risks in archive extraction via a conservative, correctness-first design.