When sed is invoked with both -i (in-place edit) and --follow-symlinks, the function open_next_file() performs two separate, non-atomic filesystem operations on the same path: 1. resolves symlink to its target and stores the resolved path for determining when output is written, 2. opens the original symlink path (not the resolved one) to read the file. Between these two calls there is a race window. If an attacker atomically replaces the symlink with a different target during that window, sed will: read content from the new (attacker-chosen) symlink target and write the processed result to the path recorded in step 1. This can lead to arbitrary file overwrite with attacker-controlled content in the context of the sed process. This issue was fixed in version 4.10.
History

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Gnu
Gnu sed
Vendors & Products Gnu
Gnu sed

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description When sed is invoked with both -i (in-place edit) and --follow-symlinks, the function open_next_file() performs two separate, non-atomic filesystem operations on the same path: 1. resolves symlink to its target and stores the resolved path for determining when output is written, 2. opens the original symlink path (not the resolved one) to read the file. Between these two calls there is a race window. If an attacker atomically replaces the symlink with a different target during that window, sed will: read content from the new (attacker-chosen) symlink target and write the processed result to the path recorded in step 1. This can lead to arbitrary file overwrite with attacker-controlled content in the context of the sed process. This issue was fixed in version 4.10.
Title Race Condition in GNU Sed
Weaknesses CWE-367
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 2.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}


cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: CERT-PL

Published:

Updated: 2026-04-20T13:25:59.530Z

Reserved: 2026-04-09T09:42:24.687Z

Link: CVE-2026-5958

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-04-20T13:25:56.168Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-04-20T12:16:08.433

Modified: 2026-04-20T12:16:08.433

Link: CVE-2026-5958

cve-icon Redhat

No data.