Vulnerability-Lookup

GHSA-7CR3-H577-G38J

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-07-06 20:15 – Updated: 2026-07-06 20:15

Summary

rm: --preserve-root bypassed via a symlink to / (string check instead of dev/inode)

Details

The --preserve-root check uses a path-string test (path.has_root() && path.parent().is_none()) rather than comparing device/inode. A symlink to / (e.g. /tmp/rootlink -> /) has a parent component, so it passes the check. GNU caches /'s dev/inode at startup and compares every traversed directory against it.

Impact: rm -rf --preserve-root on a path that resolves through a symlink to / bypasses protection and can delete system directories. Recommendation: compare each entered directory's dev/inode against cached /.

Remediation: Acknowledged by Canonical; fixed in commit 5e5968cd.

Reported by Zellic in the uutils coreutils Program Security Assessment (prepared for Canonical, Jan 20 2026), audited commit 3a07ffc5a9bd4c283e75afa548ba1f1957bad242. Finding 3.44. Credit: Zellic.

Severity

6.7 (Medium)


                  
                    CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

Show details on source website

JSON

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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "crates.io",
        "name": "uu_rm"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "0.7.0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-35349"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-59",
      "CWE-693"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-07-06T20:15:27Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "The `--preserve-root` check uses a path-string test (`path.has_root() \u0026\u0026 path.parent().is_none()`) rather than comparing device/inode. A symlink to `/` (e.g. `/tmp/rootlink -\u003e /`) has a parent component, so it passes the check. GNU caches `/`\u0027s dev/inode at startup and compares every traversed directory against it.\n\n**Impact:** `rm -rf --preserve-root` on a path that resolves through a symlink to `/` bypasses protection and can delete system directories. Recommendation: compare each entered directory\u0027s dev/inode against cached `/`.\n\n**Remediation:** Acknowledged by Canonical; fixed in commit 5e5968cd.\n\n---\n_Reported by Zellic in the *uutils coreutils Program Security Assessment* (prepared for Canonical, Jan 20 2026), audited commit `3a07ffc5a9bd4c283e75afa548ba1f1957bad242`. Finding 3.44. Credit: Zellic._",
  "id": "GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j",
  "modified": "2026-07-06T20:15:27Z",
  "published": "2026-07-06T20:15:27Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/security/advisories/GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-35349"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/9706"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/commit/5e5968cdbc6618acd6c2402a8a98b503f278835e"
    },
    {
      "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:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "rm: --preserve-root bypassed via a symlink to / (string check instead of dev/inode)"
}

CVE-2026-35349 (GCVE-0-2026-35349)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-04-22 16:07 – Updated: 2026-04-22 18:05

Title

uutils coreutils Path-Based Safety Bypass with --preserve-root

Summary

A vulnerability in the rm utility of uutils coreutils allows a bypass of the --preserve-root protection. The implementation uses a path-string check rather than comparing device and inode numbers to identify the root directory. An attacker or accidental user can bypass this safeguard by using a symbolic link that resolves to the root directory (e.g., /tmp/rootlink -> /), potentially leading to the unintended recursive deletion of the entire root filesystem.

Severity

6.7 (Medium)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

SSVC

Exploitation: none Automatable: no Technical Impact: partial

CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)

Decision recorded 2026-04-22 18:04 UTC

CWE

CWE-59 - Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

Assigner

canonical mitre root Scorecard

References

2 references

URL	Tags
https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/9706	issue-trackingpatch
https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/tag/0.7.0	vendor-advisory

Impacted products

1 product

Vendor	Product	Version
Uutils	coreutils	Affected: 0 , < 0.7.0 (semver)

Credits

Zellic

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2026-35349",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "none"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "partial"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2026-04-22T18:04:49.853241Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2026-04-22T18:05:13.169Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "collectionURL": "https://github.com/uutils",
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "packageName": "coreutils",
          "platforms": [
            "Linux",
            "Unix",
            "macOS"
          ],
          "product": "coreutils",
          "repo": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils",
          "vendor": "Uutils",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "0.7.0",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "credits": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "type": "finder",
          "value": "Zellic"
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "A vulnerability in the rm utility of uutils coreutils allows a bypass of the --preserve-root protection. The implementation uses a path-string check rather than comparing device and inode numbers to identify the root directory. An attacker or accidental user can bypass this safeguard by using a symbolic link that resolves to the root directory (e.g., /tmp/rootlink -\u003e /), potentially leading to the unintended recursive deletion of the entire root filesystem."
        }
      ],
      "impacts": [
        {
          "capecId": "CAPEC-554",
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "CAPEC-554: Functionality Bypass"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
            "attackVector": "LOCAL",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 6.7,
            "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
            "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "format": "CVSS",
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "GENERAL"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-59",
              "description": "CWE-59: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access (\u0027Link Following\u0027)",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-04-22T16:07:59.808Z",
        "orgId": "cc1ad9ee-3454-478d-9317-d3e869d708bc",
        "shortName": "canonical"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "issue-tracking",
            "patch"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/9706"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "vendor-advisory"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/tag/0.7.0"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "discovery": "EXTERNAL"
      },
      "title": "uutils coreutils Path-Based Safety Bypass with --preserve-root"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "cc1ad9ee-3454-478d-9317-d3e869d708bc",
    "assignerShortName": "canonical",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-35349",
    "datePublished": "2026-04-22T16:07:59.808Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-04-02T12:58:56.087Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-04-22T18:05:13.169Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

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Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

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GHSA-7CR3-H577-G38J

CVE-2026-35349 (GCVE-0-2026-35349)

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