# CVE-2026-35368: uutils coreutils chroot Local Privilege Escalation and chroot Escape in via Name Service Switch (NSS) Injection

> Attackers with write access to a chroot directory can inject malicious NSS modules to execute arbitrary code as root, enabling privilege escalation or container escape.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 22 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 25 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-35368, GHSA-mh5c-xrmh-m794, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-35368

## What is CVE-2026-35368?

CVE-2026-35368 is a high-severity vulnerability in Uutils coreutils, published on 22 Apr 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability exists in the chroot utility of uutils coreutils when using the --userspec option. The utility resolves the user specification via getpwnam() after entering the chroot but before dropping root privileges. On glibc-based systems, this can trigger the Name Service Switch (NSS) to load shared libraries (e.g., libnss_*.so.2) from the new root directory. If the NEWROOT is writable by an attacker, they can inject a malicious NSS module to execute arbitrary code as root, facilitating a full container escape or privilege escalation.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-35368?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including coreutils. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `coreutils` | crates.io | All versions to 0.8.0 | None |
| `coreutils` | crates.io | All versions to 0.8.0 | None |

Products: Uutils Coreutils.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-35368?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-35368 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-35368 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Uutils coreutils

- [CVE-2026-35338](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35338/): uutils coreutils chmod Path Traversal Bypass of --preserve-root (high 7.3)
- [CVE-2026-35341](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35341/): uutils coreutils mkfifo Unauthorized Permission Change on Existing Files (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2026-35352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35352/): uutils coreutils mkfifo Privilege Escalation via TOCTOU Race Condition (high 7.0)
- [CVE-2026-35349](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35349/): uutils coreutils Path-Based Safety Bypass with --preserve-root (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2026-35350](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35350/): uutils coreutils cp Unexpected Privileged Executable Creation with -p (medium 6.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-35368 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-35368 is a high-severity vulnerability in Uutils coreutils, published on 22 Apr 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-35368 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- coreutils (crates.io): affected all versions up to 0.8.0; no fix listed
- coreutils (crates.io): affected all versions up to 0.8.0; no fix listed

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35368/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35368/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-35368
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-35368
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-35368

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35368/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.