diff --git a/osc/core.py b/osc/core.py
index 1a3f5ab3..27d5535a 100644
--- a/osc/core.py
+++ b/osc/core.py
@@ -5181,8 +5181,6 @@ def unpack_srcrpm(srpm, dir, *files):
         with open(os.devnull, 'w') as devnull:
             rpm2cpio_proc = subprocess.Popen(['rpm2cpio'], stdin=fsrpm,
                                              stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
-            # XXX: shell injection is possible via the files parameter, but the
-            #      current osc code does not use the files parameter.
             cpio_proc = subprocess.Popen(['cpio', '-i'] + list(files),
                                          stdin=rpm2cpio_proc.stdout,
                                          stderr=devnull)
diff --git a/osc/util/ar.py b/osc/util/ar.py
index 9fa53c51..66c02918 100644
--- a/osc/util/ar.py
+++ b/osc/util/ar.py
@@ -19,36 +19,32 @@ import re
 import stat
 import sys
 from io import BytesIO
-
-
-# workaround for python24
-if not hasattr(os, 'SEEK_SET'):
-    os.SEEK_SET = 0
+from typing import Union
 
 
 class ArError(Exception):
     """Base class for all ar related errors"""
 
-    def __init__(self, fn, msg):
+    def __init__(self, fn: bytes, msg: str):
         super().__init__()
         self.file = fn
         self.msg = msg
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return 'ar error: %s' % self.msg
+        return f"{self.msg}: {self.file.decode('utf-8')}"
 
 
 class ArHdr:
     """Represents an ar header entry"""
 
-    def __init__(self, fn, date, uid, gid, mode, size, fmag, off):
+    def __init__(self, fn: bytes, date: bytes, uid: bytes, gid: bytes, mode: bytes, size: bytes, fmag: bytes, off: bytes):
         self.file = fn.strip()
         self.date = date.strip()
         self.uid = uid.strip()
         self.gid = gid.strip()
         if not mode.strip():
             # provide a dummy mode for the ext_fn hdr
-            mode = '0'
+            mode = b"0"
         self.mode = stat.S_IMODE(int(mode, 8))
         self.size = int(size)
         self.fmag = fmag
@@ -75,9 +71,17 @@ class ArFile(BytesIO):
         working dir is used. Additionally it tries to set the owner/group
         and permissions.
         """
+        if self.name.startswith(b"/"):
+            raise ArError(self.name, "Extracting files with absolute paths is not supported for security reasons")
+
         if not dir:
             dir = os.getcwdb()
-        fn = os.path.join(dir, self.name)
+        fn = os.path.join(dir, self.name.decode("utf-8"))
+
+        dir_path, _ = os.path.split(fn)
+        if dir_path:
+            os.makedirs(dir_path, exist_ok=True)
+
         with open(fn, 'wb') as f:
             f.write(self.getvalue())
         os.chmod(fn, self.mode)
@@ -88,6 +92,7 @@ class ArFile(BytesIO):
         if gid not in os.getgroups() or os.getegid() != 0:
             gid = -1
         os.chown(fn, uid, gid)
+        return fn
 
     def __str__(self):
         return '%s %s %s %s' % (self.name, self.uid,
@@ -140,26 +145,30 @@ class Ar:
         data section. The end of such a filename is indicated with a trailing '/'.
         Another special file is the '/' which contains the symbol lookup table.
         """
+
+        # read extended header with long file names and then only seek into the right offsets
+        self.__file.seek(self.ext_fnhdr.dataoff, os.SEEK_SET)
+        ext_fnhdr_data = self.__file.read(self.ext_fnhdr.size)
+
         for h in self.hdrs:
             if h.file == b'/':
                 continue
-            # remove slashes which are appended by ar
-            h.file = h.file.rstrip(b'/')
-            if not h.file.startswith(b'/'):
+
+            if h.file.endswith(b"/"):
+                # regular file name
+                h.file = h.file[:-1]
                 continue
-            # handle long filename
-            off = int(h.file[1:len(h.file)])
-            start = self.ext_fnhdr.dataoff + off
-            self.__file.seek(start, os.SEEK_SET)
-            # XXX: is it safe to read all the data in one chunk? I assume the '//' data section
-            #      won't be too large
-            data = self.__file.read(self.ext_fnhdr.size)
-            end = data.find(b'/')
-            if end != -1:
-                h.file = data[0:end]
-            else:
+
+            # long file name
+            assert h.file[0:1] == b"/"
+            start = int(h.file[1:])
+            end = ext_fnhdr_data.find(b'/', start)
+
+            if end == -1:
                 raise ArError(b'//', 'invalid data section - trailing slash (off: %d)' % start)
 
+            h.file = ext_fnhdr_data[start:end]
+
     def _get_file(self, hdr):
         self.__file.seek(hdr.dataoff, os.SEEK_SET)
         return ArFile(hdr.file, hdr.uid, hdr.gid, hdr.mode,
@@ -193,7 +202,10 @@ class Ar:
             pos += hdr.size + (hdr.size & 1)
         self._fixupFilenames()
 
-    def get_file(self, fn):
+    def get_file(self, fn: Union[str, bytes]):
+        # accept str for better user experience
+        if isinstance(fn, str):
+            fn = fn.encode("utf-8")
         for h in self.hdrs:
             if h.file == fn:
                 return self._get_file(h)
diff --git a/osc/util/cpio.py b/osc/util/cpio.py
index 09324277..bbfb278a 100644
--- a/osc/util/cpio.py
+++ b/osc/util/cpio.py
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ import struct
 import sys
 
 
-# workaround for python24
-if not hasattr(os, 'SEEK_SET'):
-    os.SEEK_SET = 0
-
 # format implementation is based on src/copyin.c and src/util.c (see cpio sources)
 
 
@@ -129,7 +125,16 @@ class CpioRead:
             msg = '\'%s\' is no regular file - only regular files are supported atm' % hdr.filename
             raise NotImplementedError(msg)
         self.__file.seek(hdr.dataoff, os.SEEK_SET)
+
+        if fn.startswith(b"/"):
+            raise CpioError(fn, "Extracting files with absolute paths is not supported for security reasons")
+
         fn = os.path.join(dest, fn)
+
+        dir_path, _ = os.path.split(fn)
+        if dir_path:
+            os.makedirs(dir_path, exist_ok=True)
+
         with open(fn, 'wb') as f:
             f.write(self.__file.read(hdr.filesize))
         os.chmod(fn, hdr.mode)
@@ -183,12 +188,22 @@ class CpioRead:
         to a dir the file will be stored in dest/filename. In case new_fn is specified
         the file will be stored as new_fn.
         """
+
+        # accept str for better user experience
+        if isinstance(filename, str):
+            filename = filename.encode("utf-8")
+        if isinstance(dest, str):
+            dest = dest.encode("utf-8")
+        if isinstance(new_fn, str):
+            new_fn = new_fn.encode("utf-8")
+
         hdr = self._get_hdr(filename)
         if not hdr:
             raise CpioError(filename, '\'%s\' does not exist in archive' % filename)
         dest = dest or os.getcwdb()
         fn = new_fn or filename
         self._copyin_file(hdr, dest, fn)
+        return os.path.join(dest, fn).decode("utf-8")
 
     def copyin(self, dest=None):
         """
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/README b/tests/fixtures/README
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2b7fa007
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/README
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+Generate data for creating test archives
+----------------------------------------
+
+echo 'foobar' > /tmp/foo
+
+# root perms required for the next command
+echo 'numbers' > /123
+
+echo 'qwerty' > very-long-long-long-long-name
+
+echo 'asdfgh' > very-long-long-long-long-name2
+
+echo 'newline' > 'very-long-name
+-with-newline'
+
+echo 'newline' > 'a
+b'
+
+mkdir 'dir'
+echo 'file-in-a-dir' > dir/file
+
+
+Create archive.ar
+-----------------
+
+ar qP archive.ar /tmp/foo /123 very-long-long-long-long-name very-long-long-long-long-name2 'very-long-name
+-with-newline' 'a
+b' dir/file
+
+
+Create archive.cpio
+-------------------
+
+printf "/tmp/foo\0/123\0very-long-long-long-long-name\0very-long-long-long-long-name2\0very-long-name
+-with-newline\0a\nb\0dir/file\0" | cpio -ocv0 --owner=root:root > archive.cpio
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/archive.ar b/tests/fixtures/archive.ar
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..afbde3dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/archive.ar
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+!<arch>
+//                                              94        `
+very-long-long-long-long-name/
+very-long-long-long-long-name2/
+very-long-name
+-with-newline/
+
+/tmp/foo/       1716888536  1000  1000  100644  7         `
+foobar
+
+/123/           1716883776  0     0     100644  8         `
+numbers
+/0              1716882802  1000  1000  100644  7         `
+qwerty
+
+/31             1716882988  1000  1000  100644  7         `
+asdfgh
+
+/63             1716884767  1000  1000  100644  8         `
+newline
+a
+b/            1716884876  1000  1000  100644  8         `
+newline
+dir/file/       1716992150  1000  1000  100644  14        `
+file-in-a-dir
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/archive.cpio b/tests/fixtures/archive.cpio
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d92e3210
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/fixtures/archive.cpio differ
diff --git a/tests/test_util_ar.py b/tests/test_util_ar.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..227fd473
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_util_ar.py
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import os
+import shutil
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+
+from osc.util.ar import Ar
+from osc.util.ar import ArError
+
+
+FIXTURES_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "fixtures")
+
+
+class TestAr(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="osc_test_")
+        try:
+            self.old_cwd = os.getcwd()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            self.old_cwd = os.path.expanduser("~")
+        os.chdir(self.tmpdir)
+        self.archive = os.path.join(FIXTURES_DIR, "archive.ar")
+        self.ar = Ar(self.archive)
+        self.ar.read()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        os.chdir(self.old_cwd)
+        shutil.rmtree(self.tmpdir)
+
+    def test_file_list(self):
+        actual = [i.name for i in self.ar]
+        expected = [
+            # absolute path
+            b"/tmp/foo",
+            # this is a filename, not a long filename reference
+            b"/123",
+            b"very-long-long-long-long-name",
+            b"very-long-long-long-long-name2",
+            # long file name with a newline
+            b"very-long-name\n-with-newline",
+            # short file name with a newline
+            b"a\nb",
+            b"dir/file",
+        ]
+        self.assertEqual(actual, expected)
+
+    def test_get_file(self):
+        f = self.ar.get_file(b"/tmp/foo")
+        self.assertIsNotNone(f)
+
+        f = self.ar.get_file("/tmp/foo")
+        self.assertIsNotNone(f)
+
+        f = self.ar.get_file("does-not-exist")
+        self.assertIsNone(f)
+
+    def test_saveTo(self):
+        f = self.ar.get_file("a\nb")
+        path = f.saveTo(self.tmpdir)
+
+        # check that we've got the expected path
+        self.assertEqual(path, os.path.join(self.tmpdir, "a\nb"))
+
+        # ... and that the contents also match
+        with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            self.assertEqual(f.read(), "newline\n")
+
+    def test_saveTo_subdir(self):
+        f = self.ar.get_file("dir/file")
+        path = f.saveTo(self.tmpdir)
+
+        # check that we've got the expected path
+        self.assertEqual(path, os.path.join(self.tmpdir, "dir/file"))
+
+        # ... and that the contents also match
+        with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            self.assertEqual(f.read(), "file-in-a-dir\n")
+
+    def test_saveTo_abspath(self):
+        f = self.ar.get_file("/tmp/foo")
+        assert f is not None
+        # this is supposed to throw an error, extracting files with absolute paths might overwrite system files
+        self.assertRaises(ArError, f.saveTo, self.tmpdir)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/test_util_cpio.py b/tests/test_util_cpio.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..363b6373
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_util_cpio.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import os
+import shutil
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+
+from osc.util.cpio import CpioRead
+from osc.util.cpio import CpioError
+
+
+FIXTURES_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "fixtures")
+
+
+class TestCpio(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="osc_test_")
+        try:
+            self.old_cwd = os.getcwd()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            self.old_cwd = os.path.expanduser("~")
+        os.chdir(self.tmpdir)
+        self.archive = os.path.join(FIXTURES_DIR, "archive.cpio")
+        self.cpio = CpioRead(self.archive)
+        self.cpio.read()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        os.chdir(self.old_cwd)
+        shutil.rmtree(self.tmpdir)
+
+    def test_file_list(self):
+        actual = [i.filename for i in self.cpio]
+        expected = [
+            # absolute path
+            b"/tmp/foo",
+            # this is a filename, not a long filename reference
+            b"/123",
+            b"very-long-long-long-long-name",
+            b"very-long-long-long-long-name2",
+            # long file name with a newline
+            b"very-long-name\n-with-newline",
+            # short file name with a newline
+            b"a\nb",
+            b"dir/file",
+        ]
+        self.assertEqual(actual, expected)
+
+    def test_copyin_file(self):
+        path = self.cpio.copyin_file("a\nb", dest=self.tmpdir)
+
+        # check that we've got the expected path
+        self.assertEqual(path, os.path.join(self.tmpdir, "a\nb"))
+
+        # ... and that the contents also match
+        with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            self.assertEqual(f.read(), "newline\n")
+
+    def test_copyin_file_abspath(self):
+        self.assertRaises(CpioError, self.cpio.copyin_file, "/tmp/foo")
+
+    def test_copyin_file_subdir(self):
+        path = self.cpio.copyin_file("dir/file", dest=self.tmpdir)
+
+        # check that we've got the expected path
+        self.assertEqual(path, os.path.join(self.tmpdir, "dir/file"))
+
+        # ... and that the contents also match
+        with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            self.assertEqual(f.read(), "file-in-a-dir\n")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()