# CVE-2026-6851: Improper link resolution before file access in Bitdefender Total Security via Link Following (VA-13681)

> A local attacker can exploit a race condition in the File Shredder module to elevate privileges via symbolic links.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 15 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f943-xhh7-7c5g

## What is CVE-2026-6851?

CVE-2026-6851 is a high-severity vulnerability in Bitdefender Internet Security, published on 14 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

An Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') vulnerability in the File Shredder module as used in Bitdefender Total Security and Internet Security on Windows allows a less-privileged local user to elevate rights by leveraging a race conditions via Symbolic Links.

This issue affects Total Security: before 27.0.58.315; Internet Security: before 27.0.58.315.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-6851?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Bitdefender Internet Security, Bitdefender Total Security.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-6851?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-6851 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-6851 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-6851 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Bitdefender Internet Security

- [CVE-2009-0850](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0850/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-6851 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-6851 is a high-severity vulnerability in Bitdefender Internet Security, published on 14 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-6851 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Bitdefender Internet Security. 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-2026-6851/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-6851/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-6851
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-6851
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-6851

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-6851/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.