CVE-2026-23893
Description
A flaw was found in openCryptoki, a PKCS#11 library and tooling for Linux and AIX. A token-group user can exploit a symlink-following vulnerability by planting symbolic links in group-writable token directories. When an administrator runs a PKCS#11 application or administrative tool as root, it may reset ownership or permissions on existing files within these directories. This can lead to privilege escalation or the exposure of sensitive data.
Statement
This vulnerability is rated Moderate for Red Hat because it requires a local attacker with token-group membership to plant symbolic links in group-writable token directories. Exploitation occurs when an administrator subsequently runs a privileged openCryptoki application or administrative tool, leading to privilege escalation or data exposure. Red Hat systems are affected if openCryptoki is installed and configured with group-writable token directories.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, restrict membership of the token-group to only trusted administrators. This prevents untrusted local users from planting malicious symlinks in openCryptoki token directories. Changes to group membership typically require users to log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 6.8 | N/A | 6.8 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | Required | N/A | Required |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | Low | N/A | Low |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Confidentiality,Integrity,Access Control
Technical Impact: Read Files or Directories; Modify Files or Directories; Bypass Protection Mechanism
An attacker may be able to traverse the file system to unintended locations and read or overwrite the contents of unexpected files. If the files are used for a security mechanism then an attacker may be able to bypass the mechanism.
Other
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
Windows simple shortcuts, sometimes referred to as soft links, can be exploited remotely since a ".LNK" file can be uploaded like a normal file. This can enable remote execution.
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