GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw: uutils coreutils Cp/install/mv/ln --suffix Alone Does Not Vulnerability

HIGH
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CWE-440 CWE-693
Published
Advisory Summary

GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw is a HIGH cp/install/mv/ln --suffix alone does not vulnerability (CWE-440: Expected Behavior Violation) affecting uutils coreutils libraries in the crates.io ecosystem. The issue involves cp/install/mv/ln --suffix alone does not enable backup mode (silent data loss vs gnu). Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 0.6.0.

GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw at a Glance

CVE Identifier N/A
GHSA Identifier GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-440: Expected Behavior Violation
Affected Product uutils coreutils
Package Ecosystem crates.io
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw

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

uucore fixed: 0.6.0 
Upgrade uucore to 0.6.0
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

inspect dependencies for uucore

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw, inspect your project dependencies for uutils coreutils:

inspect dependencies for uucore

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of uutils coreutils in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 0.6.0), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-440: Expected Behavior Violation, where a feature, api, or function does not perform according to its specification. In uutils coreutils, 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

`determine_backup_mode` in `src/uucore/src/lib/features/backup_control.rs` only checks `--backup`/`-b` and returns `BackupMode::None` when only `--suffix` is given. GNU enables backup mode when `--suffix` is used alone (defaulting to existing/numbered, or `$VERSION_CONTROL`). Affects `cp`, `install`, `mv`, `ln` which share this code. ``` # uutils: no backup created $ coreutils cp --suffix=.bak src dest # dest.bak NOT created # GNU: dest.bak created $ cp --suffix=.bak src dest ``` **Impact:** users/scripts relying on `--suffix` to back up a file before overwrite get silent data loss; breaks GNU compatibility across four utilities. Recommendation: enable backup mode when `--suffix` is present. _Note: this is primarily a GNU-compatibility/data-safety divergence rather than a classic exploitable vulnerability — review whether it warrants a CVE._ **Remediation:** Acknowledged by Canonical; fixed in PR #9741 (`uucore: use --suffix to enable backup mode`), commit `939ab037a`, merged 2025-12-21. `determine_backup_mode` now has a `--suffix`-alone branch that resolves the mode from `$VERSION_CONTROL` (defaulting to `existing`). Released in **uucore 0.6.0** and later (vulnerable: `< 0.6.0`). Regression tests added in the same file: `test_backup_mode_suffix_without_backup_option` and `test_backup_mode_suffix_without_backup_option_with_env_var`. --- _Reported by Zellic in the *uutils coreutils Program Security Assessment* (prepared for Canonical, Jan 20 2026), audited commit `3a07ffc5a9bd4c283e75afa548ba1f1957bad242`. Finding 3.7. Credit: Zellic._

GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw Affected uutils coreutils Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
0.6.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
uucore
 crates.io
< 0.6.0
0.6.0

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/security/advisories/GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw
uutils coreutils Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/9741
uutils coreutils Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/uutils/coreutils

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw?
GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw is a security vulnerability in uutils coreutils involving cp/install/mv/ln --suffix alone does not enable backup mode (silent data loss vs GNU) under CWE-440: Expected Behavior Violation.
Which uutils coreutils versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 0.6.0 across affected packages: uucore.
What version fixes GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw?
Upgrading to 0.6.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is uucore affected?
Yes, uucore is affected in releases prior to 0.6.0. Upgrade your dependency to 0.6.0 or later.
What CWE is associated with GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw?
GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw is classified under CWE-440: Expected Behavior Violation (A feature, API, or function does not perform according to its specification.).
How can I check crates.io dependencies for GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for uucore'. 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-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw",
  "modified" : "2026-07-07T19:36:17Z",
  "published" : "2026-07-07T19:36:17Z",
  "aliases" : [ ],
  "summary" : "uutils coreutils: cp/install/mv/ln --suffix alone does not enable backup mode (silent data loss vs GNU)",
  "details" : "`determine_backup_mode` in `src/uucore/src/lib/features/backup_control.rs` only checks `--backup`/`-b` and returns `BackupMode::None` when only `--suffix` is given. GNU enables backup mode when `--suffix` is used alone (defaulting to existing/numbered, or `$VERSION_CONTROL`). Affects `cp`, `install`, `mv`, `ln` which share this code.\n\n```\n# uutils: no backup created\n$ coreutils cp --suffix=.bak src dest      # dest.bak NOT created\n# GNU: dest.bak created\n$ cp --suffix=.bak src dest\n```\n\n**Impact:** users/scripts relying on `--suffix` to back up a file before overwrite get silent data loss; breaks GNU compatibility across four utilities. Recommendation: enable backup mode when `--suffix` is present.\n\n_Note: this is primarily a GNU-compatibility/data-safety divergence rather than a classic exploitable vulnerability — review whether it warrants a CVE._\n\n**Remediation:** Acknowledged by Canonical; fixed in PR #9741 (`uucore: use --suffix to enable backup mode`), commit `939ab037a`, merged 2025-12-21. `determine_backup_mode` now has a `--suffix`-alone branch that resolves the mode from `$VERSION_CONTROL` (defaulting to `existing`). Released in **uucore 0.6.0** and later (vulnerable: `< 0.6.0`). Regression tests added in the same file: `test_backup_mode_suffix_without_backup_option` and `test_backup_mode_suffix_without_backup_option_with_env_var`.\n\n---\n_Reported by Zellic in the *uutils coreutils Program Security Assessment* (prepared for Canonical, Jan 20 2026), audited commit `3a07ffc5a9bd4c283e75afa548ba1f1957bad242`. Finding 3.7. Credit: Zellic._",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "crates.io",
      "name" : "uucore"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.6.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/security/advisories/GHSA-fqf6-gxhh-2xhw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/pull/9741"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/uutils/coreutils"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-440", "CWE-693" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-07-07T19:36:17Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}