# CVE-2026-35376: uutils coreutils chcon Security Bypass and Mandatory Access Control (MAC) Inconsistency via TOCTOU Race Condition

> A local attacker can exploit a TOCTOU race in chcon to redirect relabeling operations, bypassing SELinux controls and modifying security labels on sensitive files.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **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:** 22 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-35376, GHSA-6g8r-74qp-6859, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-35376

## What is CVE-2026-35376?

CVE-2026-35376 is a medium-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 Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) vulnerability exists in the chcon utility of uutils coreutils during recursive operations. The implementation resolves recursive targets using a fresh path lookup (via fts_accpath) rather than binding the traversal and label application to the specific directory state encountered during traversal. Because these operations are not anchored to file descriptors, a local attacker with write access to a directory tree can exploit timing-sensitive rename or symbolic link races to redirect a privileged recursive relabeling operation to unintended files or directories. This vulnerability breaks the hardening expectations for SELinux administration workflows and can lead to the unauthorized modification of security labels on sensitive system objects.

Weakness: CWE-367 (Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-35376?

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-2026-35376?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-35376 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-35376 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2026-35368](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35368/): uutils coreutils chroot Local Privilege Escalation and chroot Escape in via Name Service Switch (NSS) Injection (high 7.2)
- [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)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-35376 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-35376 is a medium-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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-35376 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2026-35376/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35376/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-35376
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-35376
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-35376

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35376/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.