CVE-2026-55567
Received Received - Intake

Privileged File Deletion in BleachBit Allows Local Privilege Escalation

Publication date: 2026-09-21

Last updated on: 2026-09-21

Assigner: GitHub, Inc.

Description
BleachBit cleans files to free disk space and to maintain privacy. Prior to 6.0.1, privileged Windows cleaning does not lock and validate a target's parent directory before deletion. A local unprivileged user can replace that directory with a Windows junction and use a native symlink to redirect the elevated deletion to an attacker-selected file. The arbitrary privileged file deletion can be combined with Windows Installer behavior to obtain local SYSTEM privileges. This issue is fixed in version 6.0.1.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-21
Last Modified
2026-09-21
Generated
2026-09-21
AI Q&A
2026-09-21
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-55567
EUVD
EUVD-2026-83925

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 3 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
bleachbit bleachbit 6.0.1
bleachbit bleachbit to 6.0.1 (exc)
bleachbit bleachbit to 4.6.2 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-367 The product checks the state of a resource before using that resource, but the resource's state can change between the check and the use in a way that invalidates the results of the check.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in BleachBit allows a local unprivileged user to delete arbitrary files by exploiting race conditions during privileged Windows cleaning operations. The issue occurs because BleachBit does not lock and validate a target's parent directory before deletion. An attacker can replace the directory with a Windows junction and use a symlink to redirect the elevated deletion to an attacker-selected file.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to BleachBit versions before 6.0.1 on Windows. To detect it, check the installed version of BleachBit using 'bleachbit --version' or via 'Programs and Features' in Windows. If the version is below 6.0.1, the system is vulnerable. Additionally, monitor for unusual file deletions or privilege escalation attempts in system logs.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can lead to arbitrary file deletion, including critical system files. An attacker could combine this with Windows Installer behavior to escalate privileges to SYSTEM level, gaining full control over the affected system. This could result in data loss, system instability, or complete compromise of the machine.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized file deletion or privilege escalation, potentially compromising data integrity and confidentiality. For GDPR, it may violate Article 32 (security of processing) by allowing unauthorized access or deletion of personal data. For HIPAA, it risks breaching the Security Rule by enabling unauthorized changes to protected health information.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update BleachBit to version 6.0.1 or later. Download the update from the official BleachBit website or trusted repositories. After updating, verify the installation and restart the system to ensure all changes take effect. Avoid using older versions of BleachBit until the update is applied.

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