CVE-2026-35358: uutils coreutils incorrect device node handling in cp recursive copy

CVE-2026-35358 · Severity: medium · CVSS 4.4 · Published 2026-04-22

The 'cp' utility in uutils coreutils, a Rust-based alternative to standard system tools, contains a flaw when copying directories. Instead of preserving special system files (device nodes), it attempts to read them as data streams, which can cause the system to hang or fill up all available disk space. This can disrupt system operations and prevent the creation of correct system backups or environment clones.

Technologies: Uutils Coreutils. Vendors: crates.io, Uutils.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-35358 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-35358 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-35358?
Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 4.4, published 22 April 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
uu_cp (crates.io) < 0.7.0, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=0.7.0.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-35358?
Yes. uu_cp (crates.io): upgrade to 0.7.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2026-35358 attacked?
It is attacked with local access, in a software library.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-35358?
Check whether you run uu_cp (crates.io) or Uutils Coreutils at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

How to fix

  • uu_cp (crates.io): upgrade to 0.7.0 or later
    cargo update -p uu_cp

Technical details

The uutils coreutils 'cp' utility, when using the recursive (-R) flag, fails to correctly handle character and block device nodes. Instead of using mknod to recreate the device node at the destination, the implementation treats these nodes as streams and attempts to read their contents into regular files. This occurs because the is_stream() function incorrectly returns true for these device types. An attacker or local user can trigger this behavior to cause a denial of service via disk exhaustion (if reading from an unbounded device like /dev/zero) or by causing the process to hang indefinitely (if reading from a blocking device). This also breaks the integrity of copied filesystem trees, such as chroot environments or container images. The issue is fixed in version 0.7.0.

Affected products

  • uutils coreutils (uu_cp) < 0.7.0

Identifiers

  • CVE-2026-35358
  • GHSA-8vrf-r662-2w2v

Timeline

  • 2025-12-20: disclosed: Issue first opened on GitHub
  • 2026-01: other: Reported in Zellic Program Security Assessment
  • 2026-03-04: patched: Fix merged into main branch
  • 2026-05-30: advisory: GitHub Advisory published
  • 2026-07-06: advisory: Advisory updated and reviewed

References

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