Description
The xmlwf tool in libexpat through 2.10.0 contains a symlink following vulnerability because -d output mode opens files with fopen("wb"), which follows symbolic links. Local attackers with write access to the output directory can plant a symlink at the expected output name to truncate or overwrite files writable by the xmlwf user.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| libexpat project | libexpat | 0 ≤2.10.0 | — |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | expat | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 13 | expat | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | expat | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.10 | tdom +6 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | tdom +5 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | tdom +4 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | tdom +5 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | tdom +4 | No fix yet | — |
Show 9 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | gdcm +7 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | gdcm +6 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 26.04 LTS | swish-e | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 24.04 LTS | swish-e +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 22.04 LTS | swish-e +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | expat +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS | coin3 +4 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | vtk +8 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | vtk +4 | No fix yet | — |
Azure Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Linux 3 | expat | No fix yet | — |
References
- https://github.com/libexpat/libexpat/pull/1502
- https://github.com/libexpat/libexpat/blob/R_2_10_0/expat/xmlwf/xmlwf.c#L1272-L1275
- https://github.com/libexpat/libexpat/blob/R_2_10_0/expat/xmlwf/xmlwf.c#L1338-L1347
- https://github.com/libexpat/libexpat
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/libexpat-xmlwf-through-2.10.0-symlink-following-via-d-output-directory