NTFS file system in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 SP2 allows local attackers to hide file usage activities via a hard link to the target file, which causes the link to be recorded in the audit trail instead of the target file.

Hard link and possibly symbolic link following vulnerabilities in QNX RTOS 4.25 (aka QNX4) allow local users to overwrite arbitrary files via (1) the -f argument to the monitor utility, (2) the -d argument to dumper, (3) the -c argument to crttrap, or (4) using the Watcom sample utility.

Perl 5.004_04 and earlier follows symbolic links when running with the -e option, which allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /tmp/perl-eaXXXXX file.

script command in the util-linux package before 2.11n allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files by setting a hardlink from the typescript log file to any file on the system, then having root execute the script command.

The VPN service in AVAST SecureLine before 5.6.4982.470 allows local users to write to arbitrary files via an Object Manager symbolic link from the log directory (which has weak permissions).

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles symlinks, aka 'Windows User Profile Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.

A validation issue existed in the handling of symlinks. This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in iOS 12.3, macOS Mojave 10.14.5, tvOS 12.3, watchOS 5.2.1. A local user may be able to modify protected parts of the file system.

On BIG-IP versions 15.0.0-15.0.1, 14.1.0.2-14.1.2.2, 14.0.0.5-14.0.1, 13.1.1.5-13.1.3.1, 12.1.4.1-12.1.5, 11.6.4-11.6.5, and 11.5.9-11.5.10, the access controls implemented by scp.whitelist and scp.blacklist are not properly enforced for paths that are symlinks. This allows authenticated users with SCP access to overwrite certain configuration files that would otherwise be restricted.

Dell Command Update versions prior to 3.1 contain an Arbitrary File Deletion Vulnerability. A local authenticated malicious user with low privileges potentially could exploit this vulnerability to delete arbitrary files by creating a symlink from the "Temp\IC\ICDebugLog.txt" to any targeted file. This issue occurs because of insecure handling of Temp directory permissions that were set incorrectly.

Dell Command Update versions prior to 3.1 contain an Arbitrary File Deletion Vulnerability. A local authenticated malicious user with low privileges potentially could exploit this vulnerability to delete arbitrary files by creating a symlink from the "Temp\ICProgress\Dell_InventoryCollector_Progress.xml" to any targeted file. This issue occurs because permissions on the Temp directory were set incorrectly.

This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5. An app may be able to access protected user data.

A UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in the mysql-systemd-helper of the mariadb packaging of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 allows local attackers to change the permissions of arbitrary files to 0640. This issue affects: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 mariadb versions prior to 10.2.31-3.25.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 mariadb versions prior to 10.2.31-3.26.1.

The quarantine restoration function in Total Defense Anti-virus 11.5.2.28 is vulnerable to symbolic link attacks, allowing files to be written to privileged directories.

as31 2.3.1-4 does not seed the random number generator and generates predictable temporary file names, which makes it easier for local users to create or truncate files via a symlink attack.

os.OpenFile(path, os.O_CREATE|O_EXCL) behaved differently on Unix and Windows systems when the target path was a dangling symlink. On Unix systems, OpenFile with O_CREATE and O_EXCL flags never follows symlinks. On Windows, when the target path was a symlink to a nonexistent location, OpenFile would create a file in that location. OpenFile now always returns an error when the O_CREATE and O_EXCL flags are both set and the target path is a symlink.

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows store installer where WindowsApps directory is vulnerable to symbolic link attack, aka 'Microsoft Windows Store Installer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.

This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.7, macOS Sonoma 14.7, macOS Sequoia 15. An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system.

alsa-utils 1.0.19 and later versions allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack via the /usr/bin/alsa-info and /usr/bin/alsa-info.sh scripts.

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles symlinks. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and delete files or folders of their choosing. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles symlinks.

checkpath in OpenRC through 0.42.1 might allow local users to take ownership of arbitrary files because a non-terminal path component can be a symlink.

Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

ROG Live Service’s function for deleting temp files created by installation has an improper link resolution before file access vulnerability. Since this function does not validate the path before deletion, an unauthenticated local attacker can create an unexpected symbolic link to system file path, to delete arbitrary system files and disrupt system service.

In yast2-multipath before version 4.1.1 a static temporary filename allows local attackers to overwrite files on systems without symlink protection

Docker Desktop installer on Windows in versions before 4.6.0 allows an attacker to overwrite any administrator writable files by creating a symlink in place of where the installer writes its log file. Starting from version 4.6.0, the Docker Desktop installer, when run elevated, will write its log files to a location not writable by non-administrator users.

A link following denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability in the Trend Micro Security (Consumer) 2021 familiy of products could allow an attacker to abuse the PC Health Checkup feature of the product to create symlinks that would allow modification of files which could lead to a denial-of-service.

In WIBU CodeMeter Runtime before 7.30a, creating a crafted CmDongles symbolic link will overwrite the linked file without checking permissions.

Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') vulnerability in the EPAG component of Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools for Windows allows a local attacker to cause a denial of service. This issue affects: Bitdefender GravityZone version 7.1.2.33 and prior versions.

opentmpfiles through 0.3.1 allows local users to take ownership of arbitrary files because d entries are mishandled and allow a symlink attack.

It was discovered that the process_report() function in data/whoopsie-upload-all allowed arbitrary file writes via symlinks.

Windows Update Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.30 allows a local user to gain elevated privileges and perform arbitrary file deletion as the SYSTEM user potentially causing Denial of Service via manipulating Junction link, after enumerating certain files, at a specific time.

Dell AppSync, version 4.6.0.x, contain a Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability. A low privileged attacker with local access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to information tampering.

A vulnerability in the Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Software CLI could allow an authenticated, local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files on the local system. This vulnerability is due to improper access controls on files within the local file system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing a symbolic link in a specific location on the local file system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to overwrite arbitrary files on an affected device.

NVIDIA GPU Display driver for Windows contains a vulnerability where an unprivileged user can create a file hard link that causes the driver to overwrite a file that requires elevated privilege to modify, which could lead to data loss or denial of service.

Apport creates a world writable lock file with root ownership in the world writable /var/lock/apport directory. If the apport/ directory does not exist (this is not uncommon as /var/lock is a tmpfs), it will create the directory, otherwise it will simply continue execution using the existing directory. This allows for a symlink attack if an attacker were to create a symlink at /var/lock/apport, changing apport's lock file location. This file could then be used to escalate privileges, for example. Fixed in versions 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.8 and 2.20.11-0ubuntu22.

A validation issue existed in the handling of symlinks. This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in macOS Catalina 10.15.3. A malicious application may be able to overwrite arbitrary files.

A flaw was found in katello-debug before 3.4.0 where certain scripts and log files used insecure temporary files. A local user could exploit this flaw to conduct a symbolic-link attack, allowing them to overwrite the contents of arbitrary files.