GHSA-7CR3-H577-G38J

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-07-06 20:15 – Updated: 2026-07-06 20:15
VLAI
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
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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)"
}



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