Local root-owned file disclosure via symlink following
Published May 5, 2026 · Updated May 5, 2026
Symlink following in Tunnelblick 3.3beta26 through 9.0beta01 allows local users to read arbitrary root-owned files. tunnelblick-helper constructs a config.ovpn path inside a user-controlled .tblk directory and reads the target as root without rejecting symbolic links. A mode-0666 tunnelblickd Unix socket accepts the request without authorizing the local client, exposing file contents but not file modification.
Summary
What happened
Symlink following in Tunnelblick 3.3beta26 through 9.0beta01 allows local users to read arbitrary root-owned files. tunnelblick-helper constructs a config.ovpn path inside a user-controlled .tblk directory and reads the target as root without rejecting symbolic links. A mode-0666 tunnelblickd Unix socket accepts the request without authorizing the local client, exposing file contents but not file modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-31893
- Published
- May 5, 2026
- Updated
- May 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Tunnelblick Project
- Product
- Tunnelblick
- Classifications
- CWE-61, T1005
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 5, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 5, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=>= 3.3beta26, < 9.0beta02
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.
Public exploit references
- GHSA-927j-vcjf-hq69 local file-read proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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