---
id: CVE-2026-35339
aliases:
  - GHSA-4x34-chg5-mwjj
title: >-
  chmod: recursive mode returns exit code 0 even when some files fail
  (last-file-wins)
summary: >-
  chmod: recursive mode returns exit code 0 even when some files fail
  (last-file-wins)
severity: medium
cvss: 5.5
cwe:
  - CWE-252
  - CWE-253
  - CWE-755
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-4x34-chg5-mwjj'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/security/advisories/GHSA-4x34-chg5-mwjj
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-35339'
  - url: 'https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/9793'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/commit/abd581f62e97d0b147306ac40eac13af71c6fbba
  - url: 'https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/tag/0.6.0'
  - url: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4x34-chg5-mwjj'
tags:
  - ghsa
  - rust
epss: 0.00143
epssPercentile: 0.03945
ingestedAt: '2026-07-06T19:45:46.975Z'
---

## Overview

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._

## Affected packages

- `uu_chmod < 0.6.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `uu_chmod 0.6.0`