Medium [CVE-2026-85518] Openscap: openscap: arbitrary file write via path traversal in source datastream decomposition
This medium-severity Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-85518 affecting Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.
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Summary
A flaw was found in OpenSCAP. When decomposing a Source DataStream (SDS) file, the application does not properly validate relative file path attributes, leading to a path traversal vulnerability.
An attacker can exploit this flaw by tricking a user or automated system into decomposing a crafted datastream containing directory traversal sequences. Successful exploitation allows unauthorized file creation or modification outside the intended target directory with the permissions of the executing process.
This vulnerability is rated as Moderate impact because exploitation requires an administrator or automated workflow to explicitly decompose a crafted, untrusted Source DataStream file.
Typical OpenSCAP usage in Red Hat Enterprise Linux focuses on evaluating installed systems against verified security profiles, rather than unpacking arbitrary third-party datastreams. Furthermore, any directory creation or file overwrite resulting from path traversal is strictly bounded by the filesystem permissions of the executing process.
Red Hat severity: Moderate — CVSS 6.1 (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L). Weakness: CWE-22.
Affected Red Hat products: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; Red Hat Hardened Images. Will not fix / out of support: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.
Affected versions
No affected-version range was extracted from the source record. The vendor advisory is authoritative — check it before change work.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 4 hours ago·verify at source
Fixed versions
No fixed release is recorded yet. That does not prove no patch exists — confirm against the vendor advisory.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 4 hours ago·verify at source
Mitigation checklist
- Avoid extracting or decomposing untrusted SCAP Source DataStream (SDS) files. When processing externally supplied datastreams is necessary, perform the operation inside an isolated directory using a dedicated unprivileged user account or container sandbox with strictly bounded write privileges. Caveat: Operating under an unprivileged user confines rogue file creation to that user's access scope, but does not prevent file corruption within directories accessible to that account.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 4 hours ago·verify at source
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