nnn through 5.3 contains an insecure temporary file vulnerability in the pdfread and nuke plugins that allows local
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 4.1 Medium.
Data as of 3 Nov 2026, 20:13 UTC
Thin evidence
One scorer or none| CNA (VulnCheck) | CVSS 4.0 | 4.1 |
|---|---|---|
| CNA (VulnCheck) | CVSS 3.1 | 4.4 |
| CNA | CVSS 4.0 | 4.1 |
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 3 Nov 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 3 Nov 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| jarunnnn | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
Users should avoid running the vulnerable plugins with sensitive file permissions or in environments where local untrusted users can create symlinks in /tmp. Monitor vendor advisories for patches or updates addressing this issue.
Description
nnn versions through 5.3 have an insecure temporary file vulnerability in the pdfread and nuke plugins. This flaw allows local attackers to overwrite files by exploiting predictable temporary file paths in /tmp. Attackers can create symbolic links at these predictable paths, causing the victim's plugin to truncate and overwrite arbitrary files writable by the victim user.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-121549 (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/jarun/nnn/issues/2188 (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/jarun/nnn/commit/04715921aece0257fef7a8558c0783493d98efff (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/jarun/nnn (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/jarun/nnn/blob/v5.3/plugins/nuke (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/jarun/nnn/blob/v5.3/plugins/pdfread (opens in a new tab)
- vulncheck.com/advisories/nnn-through-5.3-insecure-temporary-file-symlink-overwrite-via-pdfread-and-nuke-plugins (opens in a new tab)