---
id: CVE-2026-35338
aliases:
  - GHSA-4c7q-4928-8445
title: 'chmod: --preserve-root bypassed by any path that resolves to root (e.g. /../)'
summary: 'chmod: --preserve-root bypassed by any path that resolves to root (e.g. /../)'
severity: high
cvss: 7.3
cwe:
  - CWE-22
  - CWE-59
vendor: uu_chmod
product: uu_chmod
ecosystem: rust
affected:
  - uu_chmod < 0.6.0
patched:
  - uu_chmod 0.6.0
published: '2026-07-06'
updated: '2026-07-06'
source: GHSA
sourceUrl: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4c7q-4928-8445'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/security/advisories/GHSA-4c7q-4928-8445
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-35338'
  - url: 'https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/10033'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/commit/413055b378fa6fe2299c5e5f538c8e6e841ab810
  - url: 'https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/tag/0.6.0'
  - url: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4c7q-4928-8445'
tags:
  - ghsa
  - rust
epss: 0.00175
epssPercentile: 0.07291
ingestedAt: '2026-07-06T17:44:51.387Z'
---

## Overview

`Chmoder::chmod()` only compares the literal argument against `Path::new("/")`, so the `--preserve-root` guard is bypassed by any path that *resolves* to root — a symlink to `/` or simply `/../`.

```
if self.recursive && self.preserve_root && file == Path::new("/") {
    return Err(ChmodError::PreserveRoot("/".to_string()).into());
}
```

**PoC** — recursively chmods the entire filesystem to `000` despite `--preserve-root`:

```
chmod -R --preserve-root 000 /../ -v
```

**Impact:** `--preserve-root` is the documented safeguard against destructive recursive operations on `/`. Bypassing it allows `chmod -R` to alter permissions across the whole filesystem, causing a complete system breakdown. Recommendation: canonicalize the target path before comparing against root.

**Remediation:** Acknowledged by Canonical; fixed in commit 413055b3.

---
_Reported by Zellic in the *uutils coreutils Program Security Assessment* (prepared for Canonical, Jan 20 2026), audited commit `3a07ffc5a9bd4c283e75afa548ba1f1957bad242`. Finding 3.1. Credit: Zellic._

## Affected packages

- `uu_chmod < 0.6.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `uu_chmod 0.6.0`