Arbitrary file write via symlinked extraction path
Published Aug 29, 2026 · Updated Aug 29, 2026
Path traversal in RubyGems 3.2.30 through 4.0.12 allows local users to write files outside a gem extraction directory. Gem::Package#extract_tar_gz validates lexical paths but does not resolve an existing parent directory before File.open follows its symlink. Exploitation requires a pre-existing symlink in a reused or shared destination and another user or process to extract a gem into it.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in RubyGems 3.2.30 through 4.0.12 allows local users to write files outside a gem extraction directory. Gem::Package#extract_tar_gz validates lexical paths but does not resolve an existing parent directory before File.open follows its symlink. Exploitation requires a pre-existing symlink in a reused or shared destination and another user or process to extract a gem into it.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-82455
- Published
- Aug 29, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 29, 2026
- Vendor
- libwww-perl
- Product
- RubyGems
- Classifications
- CWE-59
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 29, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 29, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=3.2.30 <4.0.13
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
- Upstream symlink escape regression testproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo