---
id: CVE-2026-35349
aliases:
  - GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j
title: >-
  rm: --preserve-root bypassed via a symlink to / (string check instead of
  dev/inode)
summary: >-
  rm: --preserve-root bypassed via a symlink to / (string check instead of
  dev/inode)
severity: medium
cvss: 6.7
cwe:
  - CWE-59
  - CWE-693
vendor: uu_rm
product: uu_rm
ecosystem: rust
affected:
  - uu_rm < 0.7.0
patched:
  - uu_rm 0.7.0
published: '2026-07-06'
updated: '2026-07-06'
source: GHSA
sourceUrl: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/security/advisories/GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-35349'
  - url: 'https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/9706'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/commit/5e5968cdbc6618acd6c2402a8a98b503f278835e
  - url: 'https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/tag/0.7.0'
  - url: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7cr3-h577-g38j'
tags:
  - ghsa
  - rust
epss: 0.00211
epssPercentile: 0.10056
ingestedAt: '2026-07-06T20:46:12.679Z'
---

## Overview

The `--preserve-root` check uses a path-string test (`path.has_root() && path.parent().is_none()`) 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._

## Affected packages

- `uu_rm < 0.7.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `uu_rm 0.7.0`