CVE-2026-39860
What it is
Nix is a package manager for Linux and other Unix systems. A bug in the fix for CVE-2024-27297 allowed for arbitrary overwrites of files writable by the Nix process orchestrating the builds (typically the Nix daemon running as root in multi-user installations) by following symlinks during fixed-output derivation output registration. This affects sandboxed Linux builds - sandboxed macOS builds are unaffected. The location of the temporary output used for the output copy was located inside the build chroot. A symlink, pointing to an arbitrary location in the filesystem, could be created by the derivation builder at that path. During output registration, the Nix process (running in the host mount namespace) would follow that symlink and overwrite the destination with the derivation's output contents. In multi-user installations, this allows all users able to submit builds to the Nix daemon (allowed-users - defaulting to all users) to gain root privileges by modifying sensitive files. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.34.5, 2.33.4, 2.32.7, 2.31.4, 2.30.4, 2.29.3, and 2.28.6.
At a glance
- Exploitability
- Can be exploited locally on the machine without logging in. High risk of data exposure, data tampering.
- Exploit odds
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Fix
- A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.
Timeline
- PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
- Last updatedMost recent change to the record
Why it ranks here
- Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
- Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Severity: 9.0 CRITICAL (CVSS).
- Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.
Details
- Published
- Last modified
- Exploit probability
- 0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days
- Weakness
- CWE-61
- Record status
- Analyzed
Affected
- Nixos Nix ≤ 2.18.9
- Nixos Nix ≤ 2.19.7
- Nixos Nix ≤ 2.20.9
- Nixos Nix < 2.28.6
- Nixos Nix < 2.29.3
- Nixos Nix < 2.30.4
- Nixos Nix < 2.31.4
- Nixos Nix < 2.32.7
Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 9.0
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Is it in your code?
Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.
Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-39860.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-39860. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.
Fix and advisories
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/commit/244f3eee0bbc7f11e9b383a15ed7368e2c4becc9
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/commit/4bc5a3510fa3735798f9ed3a2a30a3ea7b32343a
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/commit/7794354a982449927ee7401cdeb573ddd16c4688
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/commit/a3163b9eabb952b4aa96e376dea95ebcca97b31a
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/pull/10178
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/security/advisories/GHSA-g3g9-5vj6-r3gj
References
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/commit/244f3eee0bbc7f11e9b383a15ed7368e2c4becc9
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/commit/4bc5a3510fa3735798f9ed3a2a30a3ea7b32343a
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/commit/7794354a982449927ee7401cdeb573ddd16c4688
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/commit/a3163b9eabb952b4aa96e376dea95ebcca97b31a
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/pull/10178
- https://github.com/NixOS/nix/security/advisories/GHSA-g3g9-5vj6-r3gj