CVE-2026-54574

`proot-distro install` has a Symlink Escape (Arbitrary Host File Write) via Malicious Tar Archive

HIGH
8.2
CVSS Score
Published: July 29, 2026 at 04:32 PM UTC
Updated: October 24, 2026 at 01:10 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorProot Distro

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Severity
HIGH8.2
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
PoC

Description

proot-distro is a utility for managing proot containers. Prior to version 5.1.5, proot-distro install extracted plain tarball root filesystems through _extract_plain_tar() in proot_distro/commands/install.py and Docker layers through _apply_layer() in proot_distro/helpers/docker.py without validating archive-controlled symlink targets in member.linkname, allowing a malicious archive to plant an absolute host-path symlink and write files through it onto the host filesystem. This issue is fixed in version 5.1.5.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 5.1.5
Affected range stops below 5.1.5, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCPoCNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

8.2HIGHGitHub_M
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
NONE
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusDEFERRED
CWE
CWE-61

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