CVE-2026-35345

uutils coreutils tail Privileged Information Disclosure via Symlink Replacement Race

Published Apr 22, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.3 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
A vulnerability in the tail utility of uutils coreutils allows for the exfiltration of sensitive file contents when using the --follow=name option. Unlike GNU tail, the uutils implementation continues to monitor a path after it has been replaced by a symbolic link, subsequently outputting the contents of the link's target. In environments where a privileged user (e.g., root) monitors a log directory, a local attacker with write access to that directory can replace a log file with a symlink to a sensitive system file (such as /etc/shadow), causing tail to disclose the contents of the sensitive file.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-xf75-659h-cgg5 uutils coreutils has a Link Following Issue
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9041-1 uutils coreutils vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:uutils:coreutils:-:*:*:*:*:rust:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Uutils
Uutils coreutils
Vendors & Products Uutils
Uutils coreutils
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A vulnerability in the tail utility of uutils coreutils allows for the exfiltration of sensitive file contents when using the --follow=name option. Unlike GNU tail, the uutils implementation continues to monitor a path after it has been replaced by a symbolic link, subsequently outputting the contents of the link's target. In environments where a privileged user (e.g., root) monitors a log directory, a local attacker with write access to that directory can replace a log file with a symlink to a sensitive system file (such as /etc/shadow), causing tail to disclose the contents of the sensitive file.
Title uutils coreutils tail Privileged Information Disclosure via Symlink Replacement Race
Weaknesses CWE-367
CWE-59
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
canonical
Published
Updated
Apr 22, 2026, 6:13 PM
Reserved
Apr 2, 2026, 12:58 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Apr 22, 2026, 5:16 PM
Modified
Oct 26, 2026, 10:10 PM