# CVE-2026-44941: libzypp path traversal via "keyhint" in repomd.xml

> Attackers can inject or overwrite files as root via malicious repository metadata, requiring an upgrade to libzypp.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 7 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-44941, GHSA-wp9x-wjhc-28mv, SUSE-SU-2026:22062-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-44941

## What is CVE-2026-44941?

CVE-2026-44941 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in SUSE libzypp, published on 2 Jul 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A relative path traversal in the "keyhint" option in repomd.xml parsing of libzypp before 17.38.12 can be used by attackers able to supply a malicious repository to inject or overwrite files in the target system as root.

Weakness: CWE-23 (Relative Path Traversal)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-44941?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `libzypp` | SUSE:Linux Micro 6.0 | All versions | 17.38.12-1.1 |

Products: Opensuse Libzypp.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-44941?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-44941 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-44941 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in SUSE libzypp

- [CVE-2026-25707](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25707/): Handcrafted repo metadata may cause arbitrary local files to be overwritten by libzypp (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-7435](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7435/): libzypp accepts unsigned 3rd party repo without warning (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2017-7436](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7436/): libzypp accepts unsigned packages even when configured to check signatures (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2018-7685](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-7685/): libzypp does not reevaluate malicious rpms once downloaded (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2017-9269](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9269/): lack of keypinning in libzypp could lead to repository switching (high 7.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-44941 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-44941 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in SUSE libzypp, published on 2 Jul 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-44941 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: SUSE libzypp. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-44941/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44941/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-44941
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-44941
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-44941

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44941/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.