CWE-59
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
BaseDraftLikelihood: Medium
Description
The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.
Hierarchy (View 1000)
Related attack patterns (CAPEC)
CAPEC-132 · CAPEC-17 · CAPEC-35 · CAPEC-76
CVEs mapped to this weakness (624)
page 7 of 32| CVE | Sev | Risk | CVSS | EPSS | KEV | Published | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2017-12258 | Med | 0.40 | 6.1 | 0.03 | Oct 5, 2017 | A vulnerability in the web-based UI of Cisco Unified Communications Manager could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute a cross-frame scripting (XFS) attack. The vulnerability exists because the affected software does not provide sufficient protections for HTML inline frames (iframes). An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by directing a user of the affected software to an attacker-controlled web page that contains a malicious HTML inline frame. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to conduct click-jacking or other types of client-side browser attacks. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCve60993. | |
| CVE-2015-5701 | Med | 0.40 | 6.1 | 0.00 | Aug 25, 2017 | mktexlsr revision 36855, and before revision 36626 as packaged in texlive allows local users to write to arbitrary files via a symlink attack. NOTE: this vulnerability exists due to the reversion of a fix of CVE-2015-5700. | |
| CVE-2015-5700 | Med | 0.40 | 6.1 | 0.00 | Aug 25, 2017 | mktexlsr revision 22855 through revision 36625 as packaged in texlive allows local users to write to arbitrary files via a symlink attack. | |
| CVE-2026-8052 | Med | 0.39 | 6.0 | 0.00 | May 12, 2026 | HashiCorp Nomad’s exec2 task driver prior to 0.1.2 is vulnerable to arbitrary file read and write on the client host as the Nomad process user through a symlink attack. This vulnerability (CVE-2026-8052) is fixed in version 0.1.2 of the exec2 task driver. | |
| CVE-2026-6959 | Med | 0.39 | 6.0 | 0.00 | May 12, 2026 | HashiCorp Nomad and Nomad Enterprise prior to 2.0.1 are vulnerable to arbitrary file read and write on the client host as the Nomad process user through a symlink attack. This vulnerability (CVE-2026-6959) is fixed in Nomad 2.0.1, 1.11.5 and 1.10.11. | |
| CVE-2026-34604 | Hig | 0.39 | 7.1 | 0.00 | Apr 1, 2026 | Tina is a headless content management system. Prior to version 2.2.2, @tinacms/graphql uses string-based path containment checks in FilesystemBridge. That blocks plain ../ traversal, but it does not resolve symlink or junction targets. If a symlink/junction already exists under the allowed content root, a path like content/posts/pivot/owned.md is still considered "inside" the base even though the real filesystem target can be outside it. As a result, FilesystemBridge.get(), put(), delete(), and glob() can operate on files outside the intended root. This issue has been patched in version 2.2.2. | |
| CVE-2026-34603 | Hig | 0.39 | 7.1 | 0.00 | Apr 1, 2026 | Tina is a headless content management system. Prior to version 2.2.2, @tinacms/cli recently added lexical path-traversal checks to the dev media routes, but the implementation still validates only the path string and does not resolve symlink or junction targets. If a link already exists under the media root, Tina accepts a path like pivot/written-from-media.txt as "inside" the media directory and then performs real filesystem operations through that link target. This allows out-of-root media listing and write access, and the same root cause also affects delete. This issue has been patched in version 2.2.2. | |
| CVE-2026-24046 | Hig | 0.39 | 7.1 | 0.00 | Jan 21, 2026 | Backstage is an open framework for building developer portals. Multiple Scaffolder actions and archive extraction utilities were vulnerable to symlink-based path traversal attacks. An attacker with access to create and execute Scaffolder templates could exploit symlinks to read arbitrary files via the `debug:log` action by creating a symlink pointing to sensitive files (e.g., `/etc/passwd`, configuration files, secrets); delete arbitrary files via the `fs:delete` action by creating symlinks pointing outside the workspace, and write files outside the workspace via archive extraction (tar/zip) containing malicious symlinks. This affects any Backstage deployment where users can create or execute Scaffolder templates. This vulnerability is fixed in `@backstage/backend-defaults` versions 0.12.2, 0.13.2, 0.14.1, and 0.15.0; `@backstage/plugin-scaffolder-backend` versions 2.2.2, 3.0.2, and 3.1.1; and `@backstage/plugin-scaffolder-node` versions 0.11.2 and 0.12.3. Users should upgrade to these versions or later. Some workarounds are available. Follow the recommendation in the Backstage Threat Model to limit access to creating and updating templates, restrict who can create and execute Scaffolder templates using the permissions framework, audit existing templates for symlink usage, and/or run Backstage in a containerized environment with limited filesystem access. | |
| CVE-2002-0793 | Med | 0.39 | 5.5 | 0.00 | Aug 12, 2002 | Hard link and possibly symbolic link following vulnerabilities in QNX RTOS 4.25 (aka QNX4) allow local users to overwrite arbitrary files via (1) the -f argument to the monitor utility, (2) the -d argument to dumper, (3) the -c argument to crttrap, or (4) using the Watcom sample utility. | |
| CVE-2000-0972 | Med | 0.39 | 5.5 | 0.02 | Dec 19, 2000 | HP-UX 11.00 crontab allows local users to read arbitrary files via the -e option by creating a symlink to the target file during the crontab session, quitting the session, and reading the error messages that crontab generates. | |
| CVE-2026-41397 | Med | 0.37 | 6.8 | 0.00 | Apr 28, 2026 | OpenClaw before 2026.3.31 contains a sandbox escape vulnerability allowing attackers to traverse directory boundaries through symlink exploitation during file synchronization operations. Remote attackers can bypass sandbox restrictions by crafting malicious symlinks in mirror sync operations to access arbitrary files outside intended boundaries. | |
| CVE-2026-35349 | Med | 0.37 | 6.7 | 0.00 | Apr 22, 2026 | A vulnerability in the rm utility of uutils coreutils allows a bypass of the --preserve-root protection. The implementation uses a path-string check rather than comparing device and inode numbers to identify the root directory. An attacker or accidental user can bypass this safeguard by using a symbolic link that resolves to the root directory (e.g., /tmp/rootlink -> /), potentially leading to the unintended recursive deletion of the entire root filesystem. | |
| CVE-2025-2102 | Med | 0.37 | — | 0.00 | May 21, 2025 | Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') vulnerability in HYPR Passwordless on Windows allows Privilege Escalation.This issue affects HYPR Passwordless: before 10.1. | |
| CVE-2026-6941 | Med | 0.36 | 6.6 | 0.00 | Apr 23, 2026 | radare2 prior to 6.1.4 contains a path traversal vulnerability in its project notes handling that allows attackers to read or write files outside the configured project directory by importing a malicious .zrp archive containing a symlinked notes.txt file. Attackers can craft a .zrp archive with a symlinked notes.txt that bypasses directory confinement checks, allowing note operations to follow the symlink and access arbitrary files outside the dir.projects root directory. | |
| CVE-2026-35365 | Med | 0.36 | 6.6 | 0.00 | Apr 22, 2026 | The mv utility in uutils coreutils improperly handles directory trees containing symbolic links during moves across filesystem boundaries. Instead of preserving symlinks, the implementation expands them, copying the linked targets as real files or directories at the destination. This can lead to resource exhaustion (disk space or time) if symlinks point to large external directories, unexpected duplication of sensitive data into unintended locations, or infinite recursion and repeated copying in the presence of symlink loops. | |
| CVE-2026-28684 | Med | 0.36 | 6.6 | 0.00 | Apr 20, 2026 | python-dotenv reads key-value pairs from a .env file and can set them as environment variables. Prior to version 1.2.2, `set_key()` and `unset_key()` in python-dotenv follow symbolic links when rewriting `.env` files, allowing a local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files via a crafted symlink when a cross-device rename fallback is triggered. Users should upgrade to v.1.2.2 or, as a workaround, apply the patch manually. | |
| CVE-2026-20161 | Med | 0.36 | 5.5 | 0.00 | Apr 15, 2026 | A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco ThousandEyes Enterprise Agent could allow an authenticated, local attacker with low privileges to overwrite arbitrary files on the local system of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper access controls on files that are on the local file system of an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing a symbolic link in a specific location on the local file system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to bypass file system permissions and overwrite arbitrary files on the affected device. | |
| CVE-2026-32212 | Med | 0.36 | 5.5 | 0.00 | Apr 14, 2026 | Improper link resolution before file access ('link following') in Universal Plug and Play (upnp.dll) allows an authorized attacker to disclose information locally. | |
| CVE-2026-2490 | Med | 0.36 | 5.5 | 0.00 | Feb 20, 2026 | RustDesk Client for Windows Transfer File Link Following Information Disclosure Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to disclose sensitive information on affected installations of RustDesk Client for Windows. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the Transfer File feature. By uploading a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the service to read arbitrary files. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to disclose information in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-27909. | |
| CVE-2025-13154 | Med | 0.36 | 5.5 | 0.00 | Jan 14, 2026 | An improper link following vulnerability was reported in the SmartPerformanceAddin for Lenovo Vantage that could allow an authenticated local user to perform an arbitrary file deletion with elevated privileges. |