GHSA-GWM6-Q8CH-HCFR

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-07-06 19:54 – Updated: 2026-07-06 19:54
VLAI
Summary
install -D: symlink race in directory creation allows arbitrary file overwrite
Details

The -D path runs fs::create_dir_all on a pathname then later opens the destination via path-based File::create/fs::copy, neither anchored to a directory fd. Between the two, an attacker can replace a path component with a symlink, redirecting the write.

Impact: an attacker with concurrent write access to the destination tree can redirect a privileged install -D to an arbitrary location, enabling arbitrary file overwrite with attacker-controlled content. Recommendation: use dirfd-based traversal (openat/mkdirat + O_NOFOLLOW) per component and create the destination via openat on the same dirfd.

Remediation: Acknowledged by Canonical; fixed in commit 0c412999.

Reported by Zellic in the uutils coreutils Program Security Assessment (prepared for Canonical, Jan 20 2026), audited commit 3a07ffc5a9bd4c283e75afa548ba1f1957bad242. Finding 3.51. Credit: Zellic.

Severity
6.3 (Medium)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "crates.io",
        "name": "uu_install"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "0.7.0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-35356"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-367",
      "CWE-59"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-07-06T19:54:56Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "The `-D` path runs `fs::create_dir_all` on a pathname then later opens the destination via path-based `File::create`/`fs::copy`, neither anchored to a directory fd. Between the two, an attacker can replace a path component with a symlink, redirecting the write.\n\n**Impact:** an attacker with concurrent write access to the destination tree can redirect a privileged `install -D` to an arbitrary location, enabling arbitrary file overwrite with attacker-controlled content. Recommendation: use dirfd-based traversal (`openat`/`mkdirat` + `O_NOFOLLOW`) per component and create the destination via `openat` on the same dirfd.\n\n**Remediation:** Acknowledged by Canonical; fixed in commit 0c412999.\n\n---\n_Reported by Zellic in the *uutils coreutils Program Security Assessment* (prepared for Canonical, Jan 20 2026), audited commit `3a07ffc5a9bd4c283e75afa548ba1f1957bad242`. Finding 3.51. Credit: Zellic._",
  "id": "GHSA-gwm6-q8ch-hcfr",
  "modified": "2026-07-06T19:54:56Z",
  "published": "2026-07-06T19:54:56Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/security/advisories/GHSA-gwm6-q8ch-hcfr"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-35356"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/10140"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/commit/0c41299975f3c1e21cf5ca968d42cad55ceb42a1"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/tag/0.7.0"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "install -D: symlink race in directory creation allows arbitrary file overwrite"
}



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