CVE-2026-35372
uutils coreutils ln Security Bypass via Improper Handling of the --no-dereference Flag
A logic error in the ln utility of uutils coreutils allows the utility to dereference a symbolic link target even when the --no-dereference (or -n) flag is explicitly provided. The implementation previously only honored the "no-dereference" intent if the --force (overwrite) mode was also enabled. This flaw causes ln to follow a symbolic link that points to a directory and create new links inside that target directory instead of treating the symbolic link itself as the destination. In environments where a privileged user or system script uses ln -n to update a symlink, a local attacker could manipulate existing symbolic links to redirect file creation into sensitive directories, potentially leading to unauthorized file creation or system misconfiguration.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
5.0
uutils coreutils ln Security Bypass via Improper Handling of the --no-dereference Flag
A logic error in the ln utility of uutils coreutils allows the utility to dereference a symbolic link target even when the --no-dereference (or -n) flag is explicitly provided. The implementation previously only honored the "no-dereference" intent if the --force (overwrite) mode was also enabled. This flaw causes ln to follow a symbolic link that points to a directory and create new links inside that target directory instead of treating the symbolic link itself as the destination. In environments where a privileged user or system script uses ln -n to update a symlink, a local attacker could manipulate existing symbolic links to redirect file creation into sensitive directories, potentially leading to unauthorized file creation or system misconfiguration.
- Record
CVE-2026-35372- CVSS 3.1
- 5.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-61
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-25020
5.0
A logic error in the ln utility of uutils coreutils allows the utility to dereference a symbolic link target even when the --no-dereference (or -n) flag is explicitly provided. The implementation previously only honored the "no-dereference" intent if the --force (overwrite) mode was also enabled. This flaw causes ln to follow a symbolic link that points to a directory and create new links inside that target directory instead of treating the symbolic link itself as the destination. In environments where a privileged user or system script uses ln -n to update a symlink, a local attacker could manipulate existing symbolic links to redirect file creation into sensitive directories, potentially leading to unauthorized file creation or system misconfiguration.
- Record
EUVD-2026-25020- CVSS 3.1
- 5.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-wq63-vh5h-pr5p
5.0
uutils coreutils has a UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following issue
A logic error in the ln utility of uutils coreutils allows the utility to dereference a symbolic link target even when the --no-dereference (or -n) flag is explicitly provided. The implementation previously only honored the "no-dereference" intent if the --force (overwrite) mode was also enabled. This flaw causes ln to follow a symbolic link that points to a directory and create new links inside that target directory instead of treating the symbolic link itself as the destination. In environments where a privileged user or system script uses ln -n to update a symlink, a local attacker could manipulate existing symbolic links to redirect file creation into sensitive directories, potentially leading to unauthorized file creation or system misconfiguration.
- Record
GHSA-wq63-vh5h-pr5p- CVSS 3.1
- 5.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-61
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
5.0
A logic error in the ln utility of uutils coreutils allows the utility to dereference a symbolic link target even when the --no-dereference (or -n) flag is explicitly provided. The implementation previously only honored the "no-dereference" intent if the --force (overwrite) mode was also enabled. This flaw causes ln to follow a symbolic link that points to a directory and create new links inside that target directory instead of treating the symbolic link itself as the destination. In environments where a privileged user or system script uses ln -n to update a symlink, a local attacker could manipulate existing symbolic links to redirect file creation into sensitive directories, potentially leading to unauthorized file creation or system misconfiguration.
- Record
CVE-2026-35372- CVSS 3.1
- 5.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-61
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
5.0
uutils coreutils ln Security Bypass via Improper Handling of the --no-dereference Flag
A logic error in the ln utility of uutils coreutils allows the utility to dereference a symbolic link target even when the --no-dereference (or -n) flag is explicitly provided. The implementation previously only honored the "no-dereference" intent if the --force (overwrite) mode was also enabled. This flaw causes ln to follow a symbolic link that points to a directory and create new links inside that target directory instead of treating the symbolic link itself as the destination. In environments where a privileged user or system script uses ln -n to update a symlink, a local attacker could manipulate existing symbolic links to redirect file creation into sensitive directories, potentially leading to unauthorized file creation or system misconfiguration.
- Record
CVE-2026-35372- CVSS 3.1
- 5.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-61
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2026-35372
5.0
A logic error in the ln utility of uutils coreutils allows the utility to dereference a symbolic link target even when the --no-dereference (or -n) flag is explicitly provided. The implementation previously only honored the "no-dereference" intent if the --force (overwrite) mode was also enabled. This flaw causes ln to follow a symbolic link that points to a directory and create new links inside that target directory instead of treating the symbolic link itself as the destination. In environments where a privileged user or system script uses ln -n to update a symlink, a local attacker could manipulate existing symbolic links to redirect file creation into sensitive directories, potentially leading to unauthorized file creation or system misconfiguration.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-35372- CVSS 3.1
- 5.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-wq63-vh5h-pr5p
5.0
uutils coreutils has a UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following issue
A logic error in the ln utility of uutils coreutils allows the utility to dereference a symbolic link target even when the --no-dereference (or -n) flag is explicitly provided. The implementation previously only honored the "no-dereference" intent if the --force (overwrite) mode was also enabled. This flaw causes ln to follow a symbolic link that points to a directory and create new links inside that target directory instead of treating the symbolic link itself as the destination. In environments where a privileged user or system script uses ln -n to update a symlink, a local attacker could manipulate existing symbolic links to redirect file creation into sensitive directories, potentially leading to unauthorized file creation or system misconfiguration.
- Record
GHSA-wq63-vh5h-pr5p- CVSS 3.1
- 5.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-61
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-35372
5.0
A logic error in the ln utility of uutils coreutils allows the utility to dereference a symbolic link target even when the --no-dereference (or -n) flag is explicitly provided. The implementation previously only honored the "no-dereference" intent if the --force (overwrite) mode was also enabled. This flaw causes ln to follow a symbolic link that points to a directory and create new links inside that target directory instead of treating the symbolic link itself as the destination. In environments where a privileged user or system script uses ln -n to update a symlink, a local attacker could manipulate existing symbolic links to redirect file creation into sensitive directories, potentially leading to unauthorized file creation or system misconfiguration.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-35372- CVSS 3.1
- 5.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
coreutilscrates.io |
before 0.8.0 | 0.8.0 |
rust-coreutilsDebian:12 |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.0.17-20.0.17-30.0.17-40.0.17-50.0.17-6 Show 39 moreShow less0.0.19-10.0.19-20.0.19-30.0.20-10.0.21-10.0.22-10.0.23-10.0.23-20.0.23-30.0.24-10.0.24-20.0.26-10.0.26-20.0.26-30.0.26-40.0.26-50.0.27-10.0.27-20.0.27-30.0.30-10.0.30-20.0.30-30.0.30-3~exp10.0.30-40.10.0-10.11.0-10.11.0-20.12.0-10.6.0-10.7.0-10.8.0-10.8.0-20.8.0-30.8.0-40.8.0-50.8.0-60.9.0-10.9.0-20.9.0-3 |
None known |
rust-coreutilsDebian:13 |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.0.30-20.0.30-30.0.30-3~exp10.0.30-40.10.0-1 Show 14 moreShow less0.11.0-10.11.0-20.12.0-10.6.0-10.7.0-10.8.0-10.8.0-20.8.0-30.8.0-40.8.0-50.8.0-60.9.0-10.9.0-20.9.0-3 |
None known |
rust-coreutilsDebian:14 |
before 0.8.0-1, plus listed versions 0.0.30-20.0.30-30.0.30-3~exp10.0.30-40.6.0-10.7.0-1 |
0.8.0-1 |
rust-coreutilsUbuntu:24.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.0.20-10.0.22-10.0.23-10.0.23-20.0.23-30.0.24-10.0.24-2 |
None known |
rust-coreutilsUbuntu:25.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.0.30-10.0.30-20.0.30-2ubuntu20.1.0-0ubuntu10.1.0+git20250711.2ba3a33-0ubuntu1 Show 11 moreShow less0.1.0+git20250711.2ba3a33-0ubuntu20.1.0+git20250711.2ba3a33-0ubuntu30.1.0+git20250711.2ba3a33-0ubuntu40.1.0+git20250801.cf79675-0ubuntu10.1.0+git20250813.4af2a84-0ubuntu20.1.0+git20250813.4af2a84-0ubuntu40.1.0+git20250813.4af2a84-0ubuntu60.1.0+git20250813.4af2a84-0ubuntu70.2.2-0ubuntu10.2.2-0ubuntu20.2.2-0ubuntu2.1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-35372 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.0) in Uutils Coreutils, published April 22, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.14%, the 3rd percentile. Fixed in coreutils 0.8.0.