PatchTheCVECVE-2026-35338: A vulnerability in the chmod utility of uutils coreutils allows users to bypass the --preserve-root safety mec
CVE-2026-35338 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.3) affecting coreutils. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.
A vulnerability in the chmod utility of uutils coreutils allows users to bypass the --preserve-root safety mechanism. The implementation only validates if the target path is literally / and does not canonicalize the path. An attacker or accidental user can use path variants such as /../ or symbolic links to execute destructive recursive operations (e.g., chmod -R 000) on the entire root filesystem, leading to system-wide permission loss and poten
Why this priority
- High severity
A fixed release or distro patch exists.
Risk facts
| CVSS score | 7.3 (High) |
| Attack vector | Local |
| Attack complexity | Low |
| Privileges needed | Low |
| User interaction | Required |
| EPSS exploit chance | 0.2% (top 93%) |
| CISA exploited list | No |
| Weakness | CWE-22 |
| Published | 2026-04-22 |
| Last modified | 2026-10-26 |
Last updated 2026-10-26 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score
Am I affected?
Timeline
- Published CVE record published
- Updated Record last modified
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.
Quick answers
How do I fix CVE-2026-35338?
coreutils: upgrade to 0.6.0. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.
Is CVE-2026-35338 being exploited?
CVE-2026-35338 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.
What does CVE-2026-35338 affect?
CVE-2026-35338 affects coreutils. Severity is high (CVSS 7.3). A vulnerability in the chmod utility of uutils coreutils allows users to bypass the --preserve-root safety mechanism. The implementation only validates if the target path is literally / and does not canonicalize the path. An attacker or acc
How urgent is CVE-2026-35338?
Priority 27/100. High severity
Related CVEs
- CVE-2026-35341 HIGH 7.1 MITIGATE A vulnerability in uutils coreutils mkfifo allows for the unauthorized modification of permissions on existing
- CVE-2026-35364 MEDIUM 6.3 MITIGATE A Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition exists in the mv utility of uutils coreutils during cro
- CVE-2026-35380 MEDIUM 5.5 UPGRADE A logic error in the cut utility of uutils coreutils causes the program to incorrectly interpret the literal t
- CVE-2026-35345 MEDIUM 5.3 MITIGATE A vulnerability in the tail utility of uutils coreutils allows for the exfiltration of sensitive file contents
- CVE-2026-35358 MEDIUM 4.4 UPGRADE The cp utility in uutils coreutils, when performing recursive copies (-R), incorrectly treats character and bl