# CVE-2026-26157: Busybox: busybox: arbitrary file overwrite and potential code execution via incomplete path sanitization

Status: published. Published: 2026-02-11. Updated: 2026-11-04.

A flaw was found in BusyBox. Incomplete path sanitization in its archive extraction utilities allows an attacker to craft malicious archives that when extracted, and under specific conditions, may write to files outside the intended directory. This can lead to arbitrary file overwrite, potentially enabling code execution through the modification of sensitive system files.

## Remediation

- workaround: As a prevention measure, avoid extracting archives from untrusted sources using BusyBox utilities. If extraction of untrusted archives is necessary, perform it within a highly isolated and restricted environment, such as a container with a read-only root filesystem and minimal privileges, to limit the potential impact of arbitrary file overwrites. (source: CNA: redhat)
- fix: RHSA-2026:13831: Red Hat Hardened Images (source: ADP: redhat-SADP)
- workaround: As a prevention measure, avoid extracting archives from untrusted sources using BusyBox utilities. If extraction of untrusted archives is necessary, perform it within a highly isolated and restricted environment, such as a container with a read-only root filesystem and minimal privileges, to limit the potential impact of arbitrary file overwrites. (source: ADP: redhat-SADP)

## Affected products and versions

- Red Hat / Red Hat Hardened Images (busybox-main): ≥ 1.37.0-7.2.hum1; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (busybox): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Siemens / RUGGEDCOM RST2428P: ≥ 0; < V4.0 (affected, custom). Source: ADP: siemens-SADP
- Red Hat / Red Hat Hardened Images (busybox-main): ≥ 1.37.0-7.2.hum1; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: ADP: redhat-SADP
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (busybox): Version range not reported. Source: ADP: redhat-SADP

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 7 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: CNA: redhat

- CVSS 3.1: 7 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: ADP: redhat-SADP

- CVSS 3.1: 7 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: NVD: secalert@redhat.com

- CVSS 3.1: 7 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: NVD: 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.73% as of 2026-11-04; percentile 54.53%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact total; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-73

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:13831 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-26157 (CNA: redhat; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2439039 (CNA: redhat; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://git.busybox.net/busybox/commit/archival?id=3fb6b31c716669e12f75a2accd31bb7685b1a1cb (CNA: redhat)

- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-253495.html (ADP: siemens-SADP)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-26157 (ADP: redhat-SADP; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2439039 (ADP: redhat-SADP; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-26157.json (ADP: redhat-SADP; x_sadp-csaf-vex)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:13831 (ADP: redhat-SADP; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:13831 (secalert@redhat.com)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-26157 (secalert@redhat.com)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2439039 (secalert@redhat.com)

- https://git.busybox.net/busybox/commit/archival?id=3fb6b31c716669e12f75a2accd31bb7685b1a1cb (secalert@redhat.com)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:13831 (0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-26157 (0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2439039 (0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c)

- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-253495.html (0b142b55-0307-4c5a-b3c9-f314f3fb7c5e)

- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-26157.json (0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c)

## Provenance

- CNA: redhat: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-26157; retrieved 2026-11-04; source updated 2026-11-04

- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26157; retrieved 2026-11-05; source updated 2026-11-04

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-26157; retrieved 2026-11-04; source updated Not reported

Revision: ce2f0981b69403b95a7b02a6931c72f84bf7836c1573d8508f3f04083ecb3c6f

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-26157

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