CVE-2026-112938

filelock: StrictSoftFileLock follows a symbolic link swapped in at <path>.filelock and creates claim files in a directory another local user chooses

Published Nov 5, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.8 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
filelock is a platform-independent file lock for Python. From 3.30.0 until 4.2.1, On POSIX platforms, StrictSoftFileLock and AsyncStrictSoftFileLock validate the coordination directory in _ensure_protocol_directory but later reach the claims directory through _open_directory by pathname, allowing a local account that can rename the coordination name to swap in a symbolic link between check and use during acquisition. That race can create and leave claim files in another writable directory or strand claims in a different strict lock so the second lock times out. Separately, the claims property and force_break follow a resting symbolic link without a race when the lock user inspects or recovers the lock. Claims inspection discloses a file name to the other account only if the resulting exception text or claim_name reaches that account through a shared log, CI output, or error report. A blind force_break recovery that removes live claims from another strict lock can allow two processes into that lock's critical section; this path reaches other strict locks, not arbitrary files. This issue is fixed in version 4.2.1.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-m462-7rxw-wvpg filelock: StrictSoftFileLock follows a symbolic link swapped in at <path>.filelock and creates claim files in a directory another local user chooses
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Tox-dev
Tox-dev filelock
Vendors & Products Tox-dev
Tox-dev filelock
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description filelock is a platform-independent file lock for Python. From 3.30.0 until 4.2.1, On POSIX platforms, StrictSoftFileLock and AsyncStrictSoftFileLock validate the coordination directory in _ensure_protocol_directory but later reach the claims directory through _open_directory by pathname, allowing a local account that can rename the coordination name to swap in a symbolic link between check and use during acquisition. That race can create and leave claim files in another writable directory or strand claims in a different strict lock so the second lock times out. Separately, the claims property and force_break follow a resting symbolic link without a race when the lock user inspects or recovers the lock. Claims inspection discloses a file name to the other account only if the resulting exception text or claim_name reaches that account through a shared log, CI output, or error report. A blind force_break recovery that removes live claims from another strict lock can allow two processes into that lock's critical section; this path reaches other strict locks, not arbitrary files. This issue is fixed in version 4.2.1.
Title filelock: StrictSoftFileLock follows a symbolic link swapped in at <path>.filelock and creates claim files in a directory another local user chooses
Weaknesses CWE-363
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Nov 9, 2026, 5:41 PM
Reserved
Oct 19, 2026, 9:30 PM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
Nov 5, 2026, 10:17 PM
Modified
Nov 9, 2026, 6:17 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Nov 5, 2026, 9:51 PM