How severe is CVE-2026-35338?

CVE-2026-35338 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-35338 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (9th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-35338?

CVE-2026-35338 affects Uutils Coreutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-35338?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

Does CVE-2026-35338 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-35338 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-24963.

When was CVE-2026-35338 published?

CVE-2026-35338 was published on 2026-04-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2026-35338

CVE-2026-35338 is a high-severity vulnerability in Uutils Coreutils with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-22.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.3)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (9th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-24963
Weakness: CWE-22
Affected product: Uutils Coreutils
Published: 2026-04-22
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

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 potential complete system breakdown.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-35338?: 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 potential complete system breakdown.
How severe is CVE-2026-35338?: CVE-2026-35338 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-35338 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (9th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-35338?: CVE-2026-35338 affects Uutils Coreutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-35338?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-35338 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-35338 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-24963.
When was CVE-2026-35338 published?: CVE-2026-35338 was published on 2026-04-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:uutils:coreutils:*:*:*:*:*:rust:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Uutils Coreutils

CVE-2026-35368 — High (CVSS 7.8): A vulnerability exists in the chroot utility of uutils coreutils when using the --userspec option. The utility resolves…
CVE-2026-35341 — High (CVSS 7.1): A vulnerability in uutils coreutils mkfifo allows for the unauthorized modification of permissions on existing files.…
CVE-2026-35352 — High (CVSS 7.0): A Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition exists in the mkfifo utility of uutils coreutils. The utility…
CVE-2026-35349 — Medium (CVSS 6.7): A vulnerability in the rm utility of uutils coreutils allows a bypass of the --preserve-root protection. The…
CVE-2026-35365 — Medium (CVSS 6.6): The mv utility in uutils coreutils improperly handles directory trees containing symbolic links during moves across…
CVE-2026-35350 — Medium (CVSS 6.6): The cp utility in uutils coreutils fails to properly handle setuid and setgid bits when ownership preservation fails.…

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