# CVE-2026-35369: uutils coreutils improper input validation in kill utility

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-35369-uutils-coreutils-improper-input-validation-in-kill-utility  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-04-22. Updated: 2026-07-06  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-35369 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.5 · Published 2026-04-22

A vulnerability in the 'kill' utility of the uutils coreutils package (a Rust-based alternative to standard Linux system tools) can cause an accidental or intentional system crash. When a user types a specific command intended to specify a signal, the tool incorrectly interprets it as a command to terminate every single process the user has permission to see. This can lead to immediate service outages, data loss from unsaved work, or a complete system shutdown.

Technologies: [Uutils Coreutils](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/uutils-coreutils). Vendors: [crates.io](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/crates-io), [Uutils](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/uutils).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-35369 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-35369 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-35369?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.5, published 22 April 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** uu_kill (crates.io) < 0.6.0, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=0.6.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-35369?** Yes. uu_kill (crates.io): upgrade to 0.6.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-35369 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-35369?** Check whether you run uu_kill (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_kill (crates.io): upgrade to 0.6.0 or later

  ```sh
  cargo update -p uu_kill
  ```


## Technical details

An argument parsing error in the 'uu_kill' component of uutils coreutils incorrectly interprets the command 'kill -1' as a request to send the default SIGTERM signal to PID -1. In Unix-like systems, sending a signal to PID -1 is a broadcast operation that targets every process the caller has permission to signal. This behavior deviates from the standard GNU coreutils implementation, which correctly identifies '-1' as a signal number and errors out due to a missing PID. A local attacker or an uninformed user can trigger this to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) by mass-terminating processes. The issue is fixed in version 0.6.0 by ensuring '-N' is parsed as a signal and validating that a PID is provided.

## Affected products

- uutils coreutils (uu_kill) < 0.6.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-35369
- GHSA-p6rv-2qpm-fwvg

## Timeline

- 2025-12-19: patched: Fix merged into main branch via commit 2d3aebc
- 2026-01-20: disclosed: Reported by Zellic during security assessment for Canonical
- 2026-02-02: other: Version 0.6.0 released containing the fix
- 2026-07-06: advisory: GitHub Advisory published

## References

- [https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/security/advisories/GHSA-p6rv-2qpm-fwvg](https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/security/advisories/GHSA-p6rv-2qpm-fwvg)
- [https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/9700](https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/9700)
- [https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/commit/2d3aebce6712841bc08b9b94e9078be50a25fc10](https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/commit/2d3aebce6712841bc08b9b94e9078be50a25fc10)
- [https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/tag/0.6.0](https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/tag/0.6.0)
- [https://api.github.com/repos/uutils/coreutils/security-advisories/GHSA-p6rv-2qpm-fwvg](https://api.github.com/repos/uutils/coreutils/security-advisories/GHSA-p6rv-2qpm-fwvg)

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