CVE-2026-74859

Arbitrary file writes via unsafe theme extraction

Published Sep 8, 2026 · Updated Sep 9, 2026

Path traversal in GNOME Tweaks on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and 9 allows local users to write files outside ~/.themes via a crafted ZIP. The shell theme installer extracts archive members without rejecting parent-directory components, absolute paths, or symlink entries. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and user interaction with the crafted archive, permitting file writes with the invoking user's permissions.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in GNOME Tweaks on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and 9 allows local users to write files outside ~/.themes via a crafted ZIP. The shell theme installer extracts archive members without rejecting parent-directory components, absolute paths, or symlink entries. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and user interaction with the crafted archive, permitting file writes with the invoking user's permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-74859
Published
Sep 8, 2026
Updated
Sep 9, 2026
Vendor
389 Directory Server
Product
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Classifications
CWE-22, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 9, 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?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

389 Directory Server · Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9Affected versions are unavailable in this record.
389 Directory Server · Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8Affected versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.8Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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