Description
proot-distro is a utility for managing proot containers. Prior to version 5.1.5, proot-distro install extracted plain tarball root filesystems through _extract_plain_tar() in proot_distro/commands/install.py and Docker layers through _apply_layer() in proot_distro/helpers/docker.py without validating archive-controlled symlink targets in member.linkname, allowing a malicious archive to plant an absolute host-path symlink and write files through it onto the host filesystem. This issue is fixed in version 5.1.5.
Published: 2026-07-29
Score: 8.2 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-9xq3-3fqg-4vg7 `proot-distro install` has a Symlink Escape (Arbitrary Host File Write) via Malicious Tar Archive
History

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Termux
Termux proot-distro
Vendors & Products Termux
Termux proot-distro

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description proot-distro is a utility for managing proot containers. Prior to version 5.1.5, proot-distro install extracted plain tarball root filesystems through _extract_plain_tar() in proot_distro/commands/install.py and Docker layers through _apply_layer() in proot_distro/helpers/docker.py without validating archive-controlled symlink targets in member.linkname, allowing a malicious archive to plant an absolute host-path symlink and write files through it onto the host filesystem. This issue is fixed in version 5.1.5.
Title `proot-distro install` has a Symlink Escape (Arbitrary Host File Write) via Malicious Tar Archive
Weaknesses CWE-61
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.2, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N'}


Subscriptions

Termux Proot-distro
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-07-29T19:24:47.953Z

Reserved: 2026-06-15T19:15:27.343Z

Link: CVE-2026-54574

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-07-29T19:15:29.505Z

cve-icon NVD

No data.

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-07-30T14:01:54Z

Weaknesses