CVE-2026-91203: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-2wj2-6xq8-f5rx
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CVSS 6.0
CWE-363
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-91203 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.0) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-363: Race Condition Enabling Link Following) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product checks the status of a file or directory before accessing it, which produces a race condition in which the file can be replaced with a link before the access is performed, causing the product to access the wrong file.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2026-91203 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-91203
GHSA Identifier GHSA-2wj2-6xq8-f5rx
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.0
CWE Classification CWE-363: Race Condition Enabling Link Following
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.0

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity High (AC:H)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2026-91203

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2026-91203, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-363: Race Condition Enabling Link Following, where the product checks the status of a file or directory before accessing it, which produces a race condition in which the file can be replaced with a link before the access is performed, causing the product to access the wrong file. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing issue, known as a symlink race condition, during privileged file operations such as changing file ownership or permissions. By manipulating directory entries and winning this race, the attacker can redirect these operations to unintended files. This could lead to unauthorized changes in file ownership and permissions on arbitrary files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability by altering system or application states or rendering services unusable.

References

NVD — CVE-2026-91203 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-91203
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-91203
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2465632

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-91203?
CVE-2026-91203 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-363: Race Condition Enabling Link Following.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2026-91203?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-91203?
CVE-2026-91203 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.0 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-91203?
CVE-2026-91203 is classified under CWE-363: Race Condition Enabling Link Following (The product checks the status of a file or directory before accessing it, which produces a race condition in which the file can be replaced with a link before the access is performed, causing the product to access the wrong file.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2026-91203?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-2wj2-6xq8-f5rx",
  "modified" : "2026-09-18T21:32:27Z",
  "published" : "2026-09-18T21:32:27Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-91203" ],
  "details" : "A flaw was found in cockpit-files. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to exploit a timing issue, known as a symlink race condition, during privileged file operations such as changing file ownership or permissions. By manipulating directory entries and winning this race, the attacker can redirect these operations to unintended files. This could lead to unauthorized changes in file ownership and permissions on arbitrary files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability by altering system or application states or rendering services unusable.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-91203"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-91203"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2465632"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-363" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-09-18T20:17:29Z"
  }
}