Local Privilege Escalation in snapd
Priority LOW 39CWE-268Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
Local privilege escalation in snapd on Linux allows local attackers to get root privilege by re-creating snap's private /tmp directory when systemd-tmpfiles is configured to automatically clean up this directory. This issue affects Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, 18.04 LTS, 20.04 LTS, 22.04 LTS, and 24.04 LTS.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.01411 72nd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed snapd: 2.75.1Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Canonical): 2.61.4ubuntu0.16.04.1+esm2+4 more products
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | snapd | before 2.75.1 | 2.75.1 | Patch available | CNA |
| Canonical | Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | — | 2.61.4ubuntu0.16.04.1+esm2 | Patch available | CNA |
| Canonical | Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | — | 2.61.4ubuntu0.18.04.1+esm2 | Patch available | CNA |
| Canonical | Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | — | 2.67.1+20.04ubuntu1~esm1 | Patch available | CNA |
| Canonical | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | — | 2.73+ubuntu22.04.1 | Patch available | CNA |
| Canonical | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | — | 2.73+ubuntu24.04.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- snapd Vendor— Affected before 2.75.1 Fixed in 2.75.1 Patch available CNA
- Ubuntu 16.04 LTS VendorCanonical Affected — Fixed in 2.61.4ubuntu0.16.04.1+esm2 Patch available CNA
- Ubuntu 18.04 LTS VendorCanonical Affected — Fixed in 2.61.4ubuntu0.18.04.1+esm2 Patch available CNA
- Ubuntu 20.04 LTS VendorCanonical Affected — Fixed in 2.67.1+20.04ubuntu1~esm1 Patch available CNA
- Ubuntu 22.04 LTS VendorCanonical Affected — Fixed in 2.73+ubuntu22.04.1 Patch available CNA
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS VendorCanonical Affected — Fixed in 2.73+ubuntu24.04.2 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 5
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 16.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 18.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 20.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 22.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 24.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 16.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 18.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 20.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 22.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 24.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
Remediation
- Fix · CNA snapd Fixed in 2.75.1
- Fix · CNA Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Canonical) Fixed in 2.61.4ubuntu0.16.04.1+esm2
- Fix · CNA Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Canonical) Fixed in 2.61.4ubuntu0.18.04.1+esm2
- Fix · CNA Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Canonical) Fixed in 2.67.1+20.04ubuntu1~esm1
- Fix · CNA Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Canonical) Fixed in 2.73+ubuntu22.04.1
- Fix · CNA Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Canonical) Fixed in 2.73+ubuntu24.04.2
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-3888
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-grpw-jgrw-ccqr
- 2026-10-25 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
Advisory 6
- https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-3888
- https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8102-1
- https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/snapd-local-privilege-escalation-cve-2026-3888
- https://blog.qualys.com/vulnerabilities-threat-research/2026/03/17/cve-2026-3888-important-snap-flaw-enables-local-privilege-escalation-to-root
- https://cdn2.qualys.com/advisory/2026/03/17/snap-confine-systemd-tmpfiles.txt
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/03/18/1
More Canonical Ubuntu Linux vulnerabilities
- TI-2020-09349 An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt before 2019.2.4 and 3000 before 3000.2. KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-05854 smtp_mailaddr in smtp_session.c in OpenSMTPD 6.6, as used in OpenBSD 6.6 and other… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-01431 Netlogon Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2019-12627 Exim 4.92 through 4.92.2 allows remote code execution, a different vulnerability than… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2019-08259 Underflow in PHP-FPM can lead to RCE KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2019-07471 OS command injection in exim KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-3888 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-3888 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-grpw-jgrw-ccqr · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-3888 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences