CVE-2026-54574Public exploit

Host file overwrite via archive symlink escape

Published Jul 29, 2026 · Updated Jul 29, 2026

Symlink following in PRoot-Distro before 5.1.5 allows attackers to overwrite host files by inducing installation of a malicious archive. The _extract_plain_tar() and _apply_layer() paths create archive-specified links from member.linkname, then open later members through them without confining parent resolution to the root filesystem. A local user must invoke install or reset on the crafted archive; writes run with the process's privileges and can alter shell startup files for later code execution.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Symlink following in PRoot-Distro before 5.1.5 allows attackers to overwrite host files by inducing installation of a malicious archive. The _extract_plain_tar() and _apply_layer() paths create archive-specified links from member.linkname, then open later members through them without confining parent resolution to the root filesystem. A local user must invoke install or reset on the crafted archive; writes run with the process's privileges and can alter shell startup files for later code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-54574
Published
Jul 29, 2026
Updated
Jul 29, 2026
Vendor
Termux
Product
PRoot-Distro
Classifications
CWE-61, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 29, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 29, 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=< 5.1.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Termux · PRoot-Distroversion=< 5.1.5

Published CVSS scores

8.2GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-61UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

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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