CVE-2026-49421
unlinkat(2) ignores AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH flag
Description
The kernel function that implements unlinkat(2) and funlinkat(2) validated the AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH flag but failed to pass it through to the underlying path lookup. The flag was silently dropped, so path resolution was not actually restricted. A process that uses AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH with unlinkat(2) or funlinkat(2) to confine path resolution can in fact resolve paths above the starting directory. A caller relying on this flag for path containment may delete files outside the intended directory tree.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 19, 2026, 6:17 a.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 19, 2026, 6:17 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
[email protected]
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2026-49421
vulnerability.
Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the
products
that
are
affected, the information is not represented in the table below.
No affected product recoded yet
Solution
- Update the system kernel to the latest patched version.
- Verify the AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH flag behavior.
- Review file deletion operations for potential policy violations.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-49421.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://security.freebsd.org/advisories/FreeBSD-SA-26:42.unlinkat.asc |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-49421 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-49421
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-49421 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-49421 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Aug. 19, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'FreeBSD', 'modules': ['libalias'], 'product': 'FreeBSD', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '15.1-RELEASE', 'lessThan': 'p1', 'versionType': 'release'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '15.0-RELEASE', 'lessThan': 'p11', 'versionType': 'release'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '14.4-RELEASE', 'lessThan': 'p7', 'versionType': 'release'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '14.3-RELEASE', 'lessThan': 'p16', 'versionType': 'release'}], 'defaultStatus': 'unknown'}] Added Description The kernel function that implements unlinkat(2) and funlinkat(2) validated the AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH flag but failed to pass it through to the underlying path lookup. The flag was silently dropped, so path resolution was not actually restricted. A process that uses AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH with unlinkat(2) or funlinkat(2) to confine path resolution can in fact resolve paths above the starting directory. A caller relying on this flag for path containment may delete files outside the intended directory tree. Added CWE CWE-273 Added Reference https://security.freebsd.org/advisories/FreeBSD-SA-26:42.unlinkat.asc