# CVE-2026-35338: rust-coreutils: A vulnerability in the chmod utility of uutils coreutils allows users to bypass the --preserve-root safety mechanism

CVE-2026-35338 is fixed in rust-coreutils on 1 platform by DEBIAN-CVE-2026-35338 (version 0.6.0-1), released April 22, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: High.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-35338
- Priority: High
- CVSS: 7.3 (high)
- EPSS: 0.0018
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Apr 22, 2026

## Description

A vulnerability in the chmod utility of uutils coreutils allows users to bypass the --preserve-root safety mechanism. The implementation only validates if the target path is literally / and does not canonicalize the path. An attacker or accidental user can use path variants such as /../ or symbolic links to execute destructive recursive operations (e.g., chmod -R 000) on the entire root filesystem, leading to system-wide permission loss and potential complete system breakdown.

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | rust-coreutils Debian 14 | 0.6.0-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2026-35338](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2026-35338.md) | Apr 22, 2026 |

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Data as of 2026-11-08T06:59:42Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

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