rm: --preserve-root bypassed via a symlink to / (string check instead of dev/inode)

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

6.7 · CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

EPSS

• CVE-2026-35349: 0.18% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 8.16 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

The --preserve-root check uses a path-string test (path.hasroot() && path.parent().isnone()) rather than comparing device/inode. A symlink to / (e.g. /tmp/rootlink - /) has a parent component, so it passes the check. GNU caches /'s dev/inode at startup and compares every traversed directory against it. Impact: rm -rf --preserve-root on a path that resolves through a symlink to / bypasses protection and can delete system directories. Recommendation: compare each entered directory's dev/inode against cached /. Remediation: Acknowledged by Canonical; fixed in commit 5e5968cd. --- Reported by Zellic in the uutils coreutils Program Security Assessment (prepared for Canonical, Jan 20 2026), audited commit 3a07ffc5a9bd4c283e75afa548ba1f1957bad242. Finding 3.44. Credit: Zellic.

Published by the source

6 Jul 2026, 20:15 UTC

Last modified by the source

6 Jul 2026, 20:15 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:43 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-35349

Advisory: rm: --preserve-root bypassed via a symlink to / (string check instead of dev/inode)
IDs: CVE-2026-35349, GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-35349 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:43 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 6.7)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: uu_rm 0.7.0. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- crates.io uu_rm: affected < 0.7.0; fixed in 0.7.0

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- crates.io uu_rm: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on uu_rm.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j lists affected ranges: crates.io uu_rm >=0 <0.7.0)

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