Security Vulnerabilities
The safe_traversal module in uutils coreutils, which provides protection against Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) symlink races using file-descriptor-relative syscalls, is incorrectly limited to Linux targets. On other Unix-like systems such as macOS and FreeBSD, the utility fails to utilize these protections, leaving directory traversal operations vulnerable to symlink race conditions.
CVSS Score
3.6
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22
The sort utility in uutils coreutils is vulnerable to a process panic when using the --files0-from option with inputs containing non-UTF-8 filenames. The implementation enforces UTF-8 encoding and utilizes expect(), causing an immediate crash when encountering valid but non-UTF-8 paths. This diverges from GNU sort, which treats filenames as raw bytes. A local attacker can exploit this to crash the utility and disrupt automated pipelines.
CVSS Score
5.5
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22
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.
CVSS Score
6.7
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22
The cp utility in uutils coreutils fails to properly handle setuid and setgid bits when ownership preservation fails. When copying with the -p (preserve) flag, the utility applies the source mode bits even if the chown operation is unsuccessful. This can result in a user-owned copy retaining original privileged bits, creating unexpected privileged executables that violate local security policies. This differs from GNU cp, which clears these bits when ownership cannot be preserved.
CVSS Score
6.6
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22
The mv utility in uutils coreutils fails to preserve file ownership during moves across different filesystem boundaries. The utility falls back to a copy-and-delete routine that creates the destination file using the caller's UID/GID rather than the source's metadata. This flaw breaks backups and migrations, causing files moved by a privileged user (e.g., root) to become root-owned unexpectedly, which can lead to information disclosure or restricted access for the intended owners.
CVSS Score
4.2
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22
A Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition exists in the mkfifo utility of uutils coreutils. The utility creates a FIFO and then performs a path-based chmod to set permissions. A local attacker with write access to the parent directory can swap the newly created FIFO for a symbolic link between these two operations. This redirects the chmod call to an arbitrary file, potentially enabling privilege escalation if the utility is run with elevated privileges.
CVSS Score
7.0
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22
The mkdir utility in uutils coreutils incorrectly applies permissions when using the -m flag by creating a directory with umask-derived permissions (typically 0755) before subsequently changing them to the requested mode via a separate chmod system call. In multi-user environments, this introduces a brief window where a directory intended to be private is accessible to other users, potentially leading to unauthorized data access.
CVSS Score
3.3
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22
A Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) vulnerability exists in the mv utility of uutils coreutils during cross-device moves. The extended attribute (xattr) preservation logic uses multiple path-based system calls that perform fresh path-to-inode lookups for each operation. A local attacker with write access to the directory can exploit this race to swap files between calls, causing the destination file to receive an inconsistent mix of security xattrs, such as SELinux labels or file capabilities.
CVSS Score
4.7
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22
The install utility in uutils coreutils is vulnerable to a Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition during file installation. The implementation unlinks an existing destination file and then recreates it using a path-based operation without the O_EXCL flag. A local attacker can exploit the window between the unlink and the subsequent creation to swap the path with a symbolic link, allowing them to redirect privileged writes to overwrite arbitrary system files.
CVSS Score
6.3
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22
A vulnerability in uutils coreutils mkfifo allows for the unauthorized modification of permissions on existing files. When mkfifo fails to create a FIFO because a file already exists at the target path, it fails to terminate the operation for that path and continues to execute a follow-up set_permissions call. This results in the existing file's permissions being changed to the default mode (often 644 after umask), potentially exposing sensitive files such as SSH private keys to other users on the system.
CVSS Score
7.1
EPSS Score
0.0
Published
2026-04-22