CVE-2026-54574
`proot-distro install` has a Symlink Escape (Arbitrary Host File Write) via Malicious Tar Archive
Description
proot-distro is a utility for managing proot containers. Prior to version 5.1.5, proot-distro install extracted plain tarball root filesystems through _extract_plain_tar() in proot_distro/commands/install.py and Docker layers through _apply_layer() in proot_distro/helpers/docker.py without validating archive-controlled symlink targets in member.linkname, allowing a malicious archive to plant an absolute host-path symlink and write files through it onto the host filesystem. This issue is fixed in version 5.1.5.
INFO
Published Date :
July 29, 2026, 5:16 p.m.
Last Modified :
July 29, 2026, 5:16 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
[email protected]
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2026-54574
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
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | [email protected] |
Solution
- Update proot-distro to version 5.1.5 or later.
- Ensure tarball integrity before extraction.
- Validate archive member symlink targets.
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-2026-54574.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-54574 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-2026-54574
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-2026-54574 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-54574 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]
Jul. 29, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'termux', 'product': 'proot-distro', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '< 5.1.5'}]}] Added Description proot-distro is a utility for managing proot containers. Prior to version 5.1.5, proot-distro install extracted plain tarball root filesystems through _extract_plain_tar() in proot_distro/commands/install.py and Docker layers through _apply_layer() in proot_distro/helpers/docker.py without validating archive-controlled symlink targets in member.linkname, allowing a malicious archive to plant an absolute host-path symlink and write files through it onto the host filesystem. This issue is fixed in version 5.1.5. Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N Added CWE CWE-61 Added Reference https://github.com/termux/proot-distro/commit/a96d7a9667f38e45d812614852ee3915d1c0ae45 Added Reference https://github.com/termux/proot-distro/releases/tag/v5.1.5 Added Reference https://github.com/termux/proot-distro/security/advisories/GHSA-9xq3-3fqg-4vg7