High 8.2Published Jul 29, 2026

CVE-2026-54574`proot-distro install` has a Symlink Escape (Arbitrary Host File Write) via Malicious Tar Archive

Updated under an hour ago (Oct 26, 2026, 12:40 AM ET)

Does this affect you?

It affects termux proot-distro. Add what you run to find out whether that includes you.

No exploitation reported and no EPSS estimate yet.

Do this next

Start free and add your stack

Free account, 1 product

Every CVE for termux proot-distro

Exploited in the last 30 days

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.

CVSS: 8.2 HIGH (v3.1, CNA)CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness (CWE): CWE-61
Known exploited: Not in CISA's KEV catalog
EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days): Not loaded for this CVE
Assigned by: GitHub_M
NVD analysis: Deferred
Record last updated: Jul 29, 2026
First seen by InfoSec Signals: Oct 9, 2026

Affected products

Affected products

termux proot-distro termux:proot_distro (from the name)	before 5.1.5	CNA record

References

https://github.com/termux/proot-distro/security/advisories/GHSA-9xq3-3fqg-4vg7x-refsource-confirm
https://github.com/termux/proot-distro/commit/a96d7a9667f38e45d812614852ee3915d1c0ae45x-refsource-misc
https://github.com/termux/proot-distro/releases/tag/v5.1.5x-refsource-misc

The CVE record on cve.org NVD's entry

The CVE record is authoritative. Products marked “from the name” were identified from the CNA's free-text names, not a CPE, and are matched less certainly. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.