CVE-2026-108119: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Description
CVE-2026-108119 is a vulnerability in the busybox tar applet used in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6. It involves improper validation of symlink and hardlink targets during deferred link creation when extracting tar archives. An attacker can craft a malicious tar archive to create or replace files outside the intended extraction directory, potentially leading to privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution if extraction is performed with elevated privileges.
CVSS v3.1
Score 6.3medium
Affected software
Red Hat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Red Hat
Red Hat Hardened Images
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The vulnerability exists in busybox's tar applet deferred link-creation handling for symlink and hardlink entries with unsafe targets. Specifically, it does not verify that the resolved destination remains within the extraction directory after link creation. By using a symlink target of '..' combined with a deferred hardlink, an attacker can cause files to be created or replaced outside the extraction directory. This can be exploited during archive extraction with elevated privileges to escalate privileges or execute arbitrary code.
Potential Impact
If exploited, this flaw can allow an attacker to overwrite or create files outside the extraction directory, potentially leading to privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution on the affected system. The attack requires the archive to be extracted with elevated privileges and user interaction (archive extraction).
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the Red Hat advisory at https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-108119 for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is applied, avoid extracting untrusted tar archives with elevated privileges.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- redhat
- Date Reserved
- 2026-10-09T14:09:13.658Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Vendor Advisory Urls
- [{"url":"https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-108119","vendor":"Red Hat"}]
Threat ID: 6ac91e872cdf04f6566f8c66
Added to database: 10/09/2026, 17:04:07 UTC
Last enriched: 10/09/2026, 17:18:22 UTC
Last updated: 10/09/2026, 17:19:10 UTC
Views: 5
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