CVE-2026-62268
Description
A flaw was found in borgbackup. This flaw allows arbitrary file overwrite, deletion, or information disclosure during archive extraction. The application fails to properly validate path targets, allowing symbolic links, directory traversal sequences, and external hard links to escape the target extraction directory. An attacker with access to a backup repository could craft a malicious archive that, when extracted by a user, modifies files outside the destination directory or exposes sensitive local files.
Statement
Red Hat Product Security has determined that this vulnerability does not affect any currently supported Red Hat product. This assessment may evolve based on further analysis and discovery. For more information about this vulnerability and the products it affects, please see the linked references.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, restrict access to backup repositories and isolate extraction operations:
1. Operational controls: Ensure repository storage access, SSH keys, and Borg encryption passphrases are restricted to trusted personnel to prevent unauthorized users from committing crafted archive data. Avoid extracting archives received from untrusted or unverified sources.
2. Sandboxing: When restoring or inspecting potentially untrusted backup archives, execute the extraction process inside an isolated, unprivileged container or sandbox environment with restricted filesystem mount permissions. This limits the blast radius of any directory traversal or out-of-tree file overwrite.
Caveats: Extracting within a sandboxed or containerized environment introduces operational overhead and requires manual verification before transferring restored files to production paths.
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
The attacker may be able to create or overwrite critical files that are used to execute code, such as programs or libraries.
Integrity
Technical Impact: Modify Files or Directories
The attacker may be able to overwrite or create critical files, such as programs, libraries, or important data. If the targeted file is used for a security mechanism, then the attacker may be able to bypass that mechanism. For example, appending a new account at the end of a password file may allow an attacker to bypass authentication.
Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Files or Directories
The attacker may be able to read the contents of unexpected files and expose sensitive data. If the targeted file is used for a security mechanism, then the attacker may be able to bypass that mechanism. For example, by reading a password file, the attacker could conduct brute force password guessing attacks in order to break into an account on the system.
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
The attacker may be able to overwrite, delete, or corrupt unexpected critical files such as programs, libraries, or important data. This may prevent the product from working at all and in the case of protection mechanisms such as authentication, it has the potential to lock out product users.
Frequently Asked Questions
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