CVE-2026-44471Public exploit

Arbitrary symlink creation via cached prefix reuse

Published May 13, 2026 · Updated May 13, 2026

Link following in gix-fs before 0.21.1 allows local users to create attacker-controlled symlinks outside a checked-out worktree. Stack::make_relative_path_current reuses a cached leaf as the next path prefix and calls push_directory instead of push, bypassing the metadata and collision checks before creating a Unix symlink. Exploitation requires checkout of a malicious tree containing duplicate symlink and directory entries, and writes are limited to existing directories writable by the checkout user.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Link following in gix-fs before 0.21.1 allows local users to create attacker-controlled symlinks outside a checked-out worktree. Stack::make_relative_path_current reuses a cached leaf as the next path prefix and calls push_directory instead of push, bypassing the metadata and collision checks before creating a Unix symlink. Exploitation requires checkout of a malicious tree containing duplicate symlink and directory entries, and writes are limited to existing directories writable by the checkout user.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-44471
Published
May 13, 2026
Updated
May 13, 2026
Vendor
GitoxideLabs
Product
gitoxide
Classifications
CWE-59
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 13, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 13, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 0.21.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

GitoxideLabs · gitoxideversion=< 0.21.1

Published CVSS scores

7.8GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

Public exploit references

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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