{"id":"USN-8996-1","summary":"apt vulnerability","details":"Max Justicz discovered that APT incorrectly handled hard links when\nencountering redirects and retrying package downloads. A remote on-path\nattacker could possibly use this issue to trick APT into installing an\nunverified package and achieve remote code execution with root privileges.","modified":"2026-11-05T11:58:19.920282880Z","published":"2026-11-04T13:37:00Z","related":["UBUNTU-CVE-2026-109518"],"upstream":["CVE-2026-109518","UBUNTU-CVE-2026-109518"],"references":[{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8996-1"},{"type":"REPORT","url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-109518"}],"affected":[{"package":{"name":"apt","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/apt?arch=source&distro=esm-infra-legacy%2Ftrusty"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"1.0.1ubuntu2.24+esm4"}]}],"versions":["0.9.9.1~ubuntu3","0.9.9.1~ubuntu4","0.9.9.1~ubuntu5","0.9.13~exp1ubuntu1","0.9.13~exp1ubuntu2","0.9.13~exp1ubuntu3","0.9.13.1~ubuntu1","0.9.14.1ubuntu1","0.9.14.1ubuntu2","0.9.15.1ubuntu1","0.9.15.4ubuntu1","0.9.15.4ubuntu2","0.9.15.4ubuntu3","0.9.15.4ubuntu4","0.9.15.4ubuntu5","1.0.1ubuntu2","1.0.1ubuntu2.1","1.0.1ubuntu2.3","1.0.1ubuntu2.4.1","1.0.1ubuntu2.5","1.0.1ubuntu2.6","1.0.1ubuntu2.7","1.0.1ubuntu2.8","1.0.1ubuntu2.9","1.0.1ubuntu2.10","1.0.1ubuntu2.11","1.0.1ubuntu2.12","1.0.1ubuntu2.13","1.0.1ubuntu2.14","1.0.1ubuntu2.15","1.0.1ubuntu2.17","1.0.1ubuntu2.18","1.0.1ubuntu2.19","1.0.1ubuntu2.20","1.0.1ubuntu2.22","1.0.1ubuntu2.23","1.0.1ubuntu2.24","1.0.1ubuntu2.24+esm1","1.0.1ubuntu2.24+esm3"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_version":"1.0.1ubuntu2.24+esm4","binary_name":"apt"},{"binary_name":"apt-transport-https","binary_version":"1.0.1ubuntu2.24+esm4"},{"binary_version":"1.0.1ubuntu2.24+esm4","binary_name":"apt-utils"},{"binary_name":"libapt-inst1.5","binary_version":"1.0.1ubuntu2.24+esm4"},{"binary_name":"libapt-pkg4.12","binary_version":"1.0.1ubuntu2.24+esm4"}],"availability":"Available with Ubuntu Pro with Legacy support add-on: https://ubuntu.com/pro"},"database_specific":{"cves_map":{"cves":[{"severity":[{"type":"CVSS_V4","score":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"},{"type":"Ubuntu","score":"high"}],"id":"CVE-2026-109518"}],"ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS"},"source":"https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/usn/USN-8996-1.json"}},{"package":{"name":"apt","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/apt?arch=source&distro=esm-infra-legacy%2Fxenial"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"1.2.36+esm1"}]}],"versions":["1.0.10.2ubuntu1","1.1.4","1.1.5","1.1.10","1.2.3","1.2.4","1.2.6","1.2.7","1.2.8","1.2.9","1.2.10","1.2.10ubuntu1","1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1","1.2.15","1.2.15ubuntu0.2","1.2.18","1.2.19","1.2.20","1.2.24","1.2.25","1.2.26","1.2.27","1.2.29","1.2.29ubuntu0.1","1.2.31","1.2.32","1.2.32ubuntu0.1","1.2.32ubuntu0.2","1.2.35"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_name":"apt","binary_version":"1.2.36+esm1"},{"binary_version":"1.2.36+esm1","binary_name":"apt-transport-https"},{"binary_version":"1.2.36+esm1","binary_name":"apt-utils"},{"binary_version":"1.2.36+esm1","binary_name":"libapt-inst2.0"},{"binary_name":"libapt-pkg5.0","binary_version":"1.2.36+esm1"}],"availability":"Available with Ubuntu Pro with Legacy support add-on: https://ubuntu.com/pro"},"database_specific":{"cves_map":{"cves":[{"id":"CVE-2026-109518","severity":[{"score":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","type":"CVSS_V4"},{"score":"high","type":"Ubuntu"}]}],"ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS"},"source":"https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/usn/USN-8996-1.json"}},{"package":{"name":"apt","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/apt?arch=source&distro=esm-infra%2Fbionic"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"1.6.19+esm1"}]}],"versions":["1.5","1.5.1","1.6~alpha5","1.6~alpha7ubuntu1","1.6~alpha7ubuntu2","1.6~beta1","1.6~rc1","1.6","1.6.1","1.6.2","1.6.3","1.6.3ubuntu0.1","1.6.6","1.6.6ubuntu0.1","1.6.8","1.6.10","1.6.11","1.6.12","1.6.12ubuntu0.1","1.6.12ubuntu0.2","1.6.13","1.6.14","1.6.17","1.6.18~esm1"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_name":"apt","binary_version":"1.6.19+esm1"},{"binary_name":"apt-transport-https","binary_version":"1.6.19+esm1"},{"binary_version":"1.6.19+esm1","binary_name":"apt-utils"},{"binary_name":"libapt-inst2.0","binary_version":"1.6.19+esm1"},{"binary_name":"libapt-pkg5.0","binary_version":"1.6.19+esm1"}],"availability":"Available 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