{"id":"GHSA-qp9x-wp8f-qgjj","title":"tuf has platform-dependent delegation path matching","summary":"tuf has platform-dependent delegation path matching","severity":"medium","cvss":4,"cvssVector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N","vendor":"tuf","product":"tuf","ecosystem":"pip","affected":["tuf < 7.0.0"],"patched":["tuf 7.0.0"],"published":"2026-05-28","updated":"2026-09-10","sourceUpdated":"2026-09-10T03:51:06.938245876Z","source":"OSV","sourceUrl":"https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-qp9x-wp8f-qgjj","references":[{"url":"https://github.com/theupdateframework/python-tuf/security/advisories/GHSA-qp9x-wp8f-qgjj"},{"url":"https://github.com/theupdateframework/python-tuf"},{"url":"https://github.com/theupdateframework/python-tuf/releases/tag/v7.0.0"}],"tags":["osv","pip"],"ingestedAt":"2026-09-12T03:13:01.722Z","slug":"GHSA-qp9x-wp8f-qgjj","body":"## Overview\n\n`DelegatedRole._is_target_in_pathpattern` uses `fnmatch.fnmatch` to decide whether a given target path is authorized by a delegation's glob pattern.\n\nPython's `fnmatch.fnmatch` calls `os.path.normcase()` on both arguments before matching. On POSIX hosts `normcase` is the identity function; on Windows hosts `os.path` resolves to `ntpath`, whose `normcase` lowercases its input and replaces `/` with `\\`.\n\nAs a result, python-tuf's delegation *path pattern* matching is case-sensitive on Linux/macOS but case-INSENSITIVE on Windows. This makes the authorization decision for a target dependent on the host operating system of the client running the updater.\n\nThe result on Windows is a TUF specification violation in the python-tuf `ngclient` implementation.\n\n## Vulnerable code\n\n`tuf/api/_payload.py` (HEAD `7ecb67d`):\n\n```python\n1183  @staticmethod\n1184  def _is_target_in_pathpattern(targetpath: str, pathpattern: str) -> bool:\n1185      \"\"\"Determine whether ``targetpath`` matches the ``pathpattern``.\"\"\"\n1186      # We need to make sure that targetpath and pathpattern are pointing to\n1187      # the same directory as fnmatch doesn't threat \"/\" as a special symbol.\n1188      target_parts = targetpath.split(\"/\")\n1189      pattern_parts = pathpattern.split(\"/\")\n1190      if len(target_parts) != len(pattern_parts):\n1191          return False\n1192\n1193      # Every part in the pathpattern could include a glob pattern, that's why\n1194      # each of the target and pathpattern parts should match.\n1195      for target, pattern in zip(target_parts, pattern_parts, strict=True):\n1196          if not fnmatch.fnmatch(target, pattern):\n1197              return False\n1198      return True\n```\n\n`fnmatch.fnmatch` source (Python 3.12, unchanged in current mainline):\n\n```python\ndef fnmatch(name, pat):\n    ...\n    name = os.path.normcase(name)\n    pat = os.path.normcase(pat)\n    return fnmatchcase(name, pat)\n```\n\n## Fix\n\nReplace `fnmatch.fnmatch` with `fnmatch.fnmatchcase`, which is explicitly documented as \"not applying case normalization\", so it behaves identically across platforms.\n\n## Attack\n\n1. A TUF repository with two path-based delegations whose patterns differ only in case — for example, `Foo/*` and `foo/*`.\n2. The \"attacker\" delegation is listed BEFORE the \"legit\" delegation in the delegation order.\n3. The client searches for `foo/something`: on Windows, it will find the \"attacker\" provided target \"Foo/something\".\n\n\n## Exploitability caveats \n\n* The attack needs a repository configuration with case-colliding delegation path patterns. The attacker must control one of the delegated roles.\n* Delegation ordering matters: the attacker-controlled role must be visited BEFORE the legit role in the pre-order walk.\n* The client must run on Windows. No effect on Linux/macOS.\n\n## Credit\n\nReporter: Koda Reef @kodareef5 \nAdvisory edits: Jussi Kukkonen @jku\n\n## Affected packages\n\n- `tuf < 7.0.0`\n\n## Remediation\n\nUpgrade to a patched release:\n\n- `tuf 7.0.0`","depth":"sunlit","depthScore":22,"depthScoreParts":{"impact":22,"likelihood":0,"exploitation":0,"ransomware":0},"changes":[]}