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CVE-2026-91203

Cockpit-files: cockpit-files: arbitrary file ownership and permission modification via symlink race condition

6.0 MediumFix available

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing issue, known as a symlink race condition, during privileged file operations such as changing file ownership or permissions. By manipulating directory entries and winning this race, the attacker can redirect these operations to unintended files. This could lead to unauthorized changes in file ownership and permissions on arbitrary files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability by altering system or application states or rendering services unusable.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

0.15%Up 0.1 points since Sep 19, 2026
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 6.0

Cockpit-files: cockpit-files: arbitrary file ownership and permission modification via symlink race condition

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing issue, known as a symlink race condition, during privileged file operations such as changing file ownership or permissions. By manipulating directory entries and winning this race, the attacker can redirect these operations to unintended files. This could lead to unauthorized changes in file ownership and permissions on arbitrary files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability by altering system or application states or rendering services unusable.

Record
CVE-2026-91203
CVSS 3.1
6.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-363
Updated
2026-11-06
EUVDEUVD-2026-83296 6.0

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing issue, known as a symlink race condition, during privileged file operations such as changing file ownership or permissions. By manipulating directory entries and winning this race, the attacker can redirect these operations to unintended files. This could lead to unauthorized changes in file ownership and permissions on arbitrary files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability by altering system or application states or rendering services unusable.

Record
EUVD-2026-83296
CVSS 3.1
6.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-06
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-2wj2-6xq8-f5rx 6.0

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing...

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing issue, known as a symlink race condition, during privileged file operations such as changing file ownership or permissions. By manipulating directory entries and winning this race, the attacker can redirect these operations to unintended files. This could lead to unauthorized changes in file ownership and permissions on arbitrary files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability by altering system or application states or rendering services unusable.

Record
GHSA-2wj2-6xq8-f5rx
CVSS 3.1
6.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-363
Updated
2026-11-06
NVD 6.0

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing issue, known as a symlink race condition, during privileged file operations such as changing file ownership or permissions. By manipulating directory entries and winning this race, the attacker can redirect these operations to unintended files. This could lead to unauthorized changes in file ownership and permissions on arbitrary files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability by altering system or application states or rendering services unusable.

Record
CVE-2026-91203
CVSS 3.1
6.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-363
Updated
2026-11-06
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2026-91203 6.0

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing issue, known as a symlink race condition, during privileged file operations such as changing file ownership or permissions. By manipulating directory entries and winning this race, the attacker can redirect these operations to unintended files. This could lead to unauthorized changes in file ownership and permissions on arbitrary files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability by altering system or application states or rendering services unusable.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-91203
CVSS 3.1
6.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVRLSA-2026:95570 6.1

Moderate: cockpit-files security update

A filesystem browser for Cockpit

Security Fix(es):

  • cockpit-files: cockpit-files: Arbitrary file ownership and permission modification via symlink race condition (CVE-2026-91203)

  • cockpit-files: cockpit-files: Arbitrary file ownership change via symlink following in privileged paste (CVE-2026-91202)

  • cockpit-files: cockpit-files: Local attacker can hijack file ownership via symlink race (CVE-2026-91205)

For more details about the security issue(s), including the impact, a CVSS score, acknowledgments, and other related information, refer to the CVE page(s) listed in the References section.

Record
RLSA-2026:95570
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L
Updated
2026-11-06
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-91203 6.0

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing issue, known as a symlink race condition, during privileged file operations such as changing file ownership or permissions. By manipulating directory entries and winning this race, the attacker can redirect these operations to unintended files. This could lead to unauthorized changes in file ownership and permissions on arbitrary files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability by altering system or application states or rendering services unusable.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-91203
CVSS 3.1
6.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVALSA-2026:95570 No score

Moderate: cockpit-files security update

A filesystem browser for Cockpit

Security Fix(es):

  • cockpit-files: cockpit-files: Arbitrary file ownership and permission modification via symlink race condition (CVE-2026-91203)
  • cockpit-files: cockpit-files: Arbitrary file ownership change via symlink following in privileged paste (CVE-2026-91202)
  • cockpit-files: cockpit-files: Local attacker can hijack file ownership via symlink race (CVE-2026-91205)

For more details about the security issue(s), including the impact, a CVSS score, acknowledgments, and other related information, refer to the CVE page(s) listed in the References section.

Record
ALSA-2026:95570
Updated
2026-11-06

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
cockpit-files
AlmaLinux:10
From an advisory covering 3 CVEs
before 36.1-1.el10_2
36.1-1.el10_2
cockpit-files
Debian:14
before 45-1, plus listed versions
36-136-1~bpo13+138-139-140-1
Show 6 moreShow less
41-143-143-1~bpo13+144-144-1~bpo13+145-1~bpo13+1
45-1
cockpit-files
Rocky Linux:10
From an advisory covering 3 CVEs
before 0:36.1-1.el10_2
0:36.1-1.el10_2
cockpit-files
Ubuntu:26.10
All versions, plus listed versions
39-140-141-143-144-1
None known
cockpit-files
Ubuntu:26.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
36-139-1
None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, aliases, referencesOSV
affected, aliases, referencesCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV
facts, referencesCVE List
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2026-91203 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.0) in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, published September 18, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.15%, the 4th percentile. Fixed in cockpit-files 45-1.

References

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