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🛡️ CVE-2026-35339 — coreutils

🟡 CVSS 5.5 — Medium ✅ No Known Exploit CWE-253 OSV
5.5
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

chmod: recursive mode returns exit code 0 even when some files fail (last-file-wins)

In Chmoder::chmod() the recursive branch overwrites the running result instead of accumulating it, so the exit code reflects only the *last* file processed:

```

if self.recursive {

r = self.walk_dir_with_context(file, true); // overwrites r

} else {

r = self.chmod_file(file).and(r);

}

```

PoC: GNU returns 1 when a file fails; uutils returns 0 if the last entry succeeds:

```

$ chmod -R 0755 chmod-bug/root chmod-bug/user # GNU -> ret=1

$ uutils chmod -R 0755 chmod-bug/root chmod-bug/user # -> ret=0

```

Impact: scripts relying on the exit code get a false success signal while some files retained restrictive/unexpected permissions, leading to access-control misconfigurations. Recommendation: accumulate errors during traversal.

Remediation: Acknowledged by Canonical; fixed in commit abd581f6.

_Reported by Zellic in the *uutils coreutils Program Security Assessment* (prepared for Canonical, Jan 20 2026), audited commit 3a07ffc5a9bd4c283e75afa548ba1f1957bad242. Finding 3.2. Credit: Zellic._

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity high, availability none.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

  • Attack vector: Local — a local account, shell or session on the host is needed.
  • Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
  • Privileges required: Low — an ordinary user account is enough.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: None.
  • Integrity impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
  • Availability impact: None.

Weakness class

CVE-2026-35339 is classified as CWE-253: Incorrect Check of Function Return Value. The product incorrectly checks a return value from a function, which prevents it from detecting errors or exceptional conditions.

Affected software

CVE-2026-35339 is recorded against 2 packages.

  • coreutils
  • uu-chmod

Timeline and source

Published on 22 April 2026 and last revised on 6 July 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from OSV.

References

nvd.nist.gov (Advisory)
github.com (Web)
github.com (Web)
github.com (Package)
github.com (Web)

Other advisories for this package

coreutils has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

Same weakness in other software

These advisories are the same class of weakness (CWE-253: Incorrect Check of Function Return Value) in other software:

CVE-2026-35339 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity MEDIUM
CVSS Score 5.5
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
CWE CWE-253
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source OSV
Published 2026-04-22
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-07-06

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
coreutils — —
uu-chmod — —

Similar Threats

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