CVE-2026-115207:
A flaw was found in GNU patch. An attacker can achieve arbitrary file creation outside the intended working directory by enticing a user or automated workflow to apply a specially crafted patch file. Due to missing validation during automatic patch reversal, absolute file paths in patch headers are accepted rather than rejected. Consequently, the utility can create files in arbitrary locations with the permissions of the executing user.
2 bugs with a patch to review in the bug tracker
normal
Among the 1 debian patch
available in version 2.8.1-1 of the package,
we noticed the following issues:
1 patch
where the metadata indicates that the patch has not yet been forwarded
upstream. You should either forward the patch upstream or update the
metadata to document its real status.
Standards version of the package is outdated.
wishlist
The package should be updated to follow the last version of Debian Policy
(Standards-Version 4.7.4 instead of
4.7.2).
![[bug history graph]](https://qa.debian.org/data/bts/graphs/p/patch.png){kind=link}