Arbitrary file writes via symlink-following extraction
Published Feb 5, 2024 · Updated Feb 25, 2026
Path traversal in cpio on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 through 9 allows remote attackers to write files outside an extraction directory. During extraction, cpio follows archive-supplied symbolic links without validating that their targets remain beneath the chosen output directory. A user must extract a crafted archive; the resulting writes can replace user-controlled startup or SSH files and execute code with that user's privileges.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in cpio on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 through 9 allows remote attackers to write files outside an extraction directory. During extraction, cpio follows archive-supplied symbolic links without validating that their targets remain beneath the chosen output directory. A user must extract a crafted archive; the resulting writes can replace user-controlled startup or SSH files and execute code with that user's privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-7216
- Published
- Feb 5, 2024
- Updated
- Feb 25, 2026
- Vendor
- Red Hat
- Product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Classifications
- CWE-59, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 5, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Affected versions are unavailable in this record. Check the vendor advisory for version and patch details.
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Red Hat Bugzilla cpio symlink reproducerproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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