# CVE-2026-91202: Cockpit-files: cockpit-files: arbitrary file ownership change via symlink following in privileged paste

> A local attacker can change arbitrary file ownership via symlink following in Cockpit Files, compromising data integrity and potentially confidentiality.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-91202, GHSA-2g9g-mfvg-w359, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-91202, openSUSE-SU-2026:11844-1

## What is CVE-2026-91202?

CVE-2026-91202 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, published on 18 Sep 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

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. A low-privileged local user can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a directory containing a symbolic link (symlink) and then using the privileged "Paste as owner" function. This allows for arbitrary file ownership changes outside the intended pasted directory, leading to a compromise of data integrity. In some cases, this could also lead to reduced confidentiality if the new ownership grants unauthorized read access. Exploitation requires user interaction to select a non-original owner during the paste operation.

Weakness: CWE-61 (UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-91202?


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `cockpit-files` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 44-1.1 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-91202?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-91202 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-91202 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-91202 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-91202 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, published on 18 Sep 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-2026-91202 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. 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-2026-91202/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-91202/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-91202
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-91202
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-91202

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-91202/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.