CVE-2026-91205: Cockpit-Files race condition in directory ownership

CVE-2026-91205 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6 · Published 2026-09-18

Cockpit-Files is a web-based file manager for Linux systems. A local attacker with unprivileged access can exploit a race condition in directory creation to change the ownership of arbitrary files on the system, potentially exposing sensitive data or modifying critical configuration files. The attack requires the attacker to control the parent directory and wait for a specific window during the ownership change operation.

Vendors: Cockpit Project.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-91205 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-91205 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-91205?
Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6, published 18 September 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Cockpit Project Cockpit-Files.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-91205?
No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
How is CVE-2026-91205 attacked?
It is attacked with local access, in a web application.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-91205?
Check whether you run Cockpit Project Cockpit-Files. 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.

Technical details

A race condition in cockpit-files' directory creation with owner assignment (chown) allows a local unprivileged attacker to replace a newly created directory with a symlink before ownership is applied, redirecting the chown operation to an arbitrary file. The vulnerability requires local access, controlled writable parent directory, and precise timing; successful exploitation results in arbitrary file ownership modification leading to information disclosure or unauthorized modification.

Affected products

  • Cockpit Project Cockpit-Files

Timeline

  • 2026-09-18: disclosed

References

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