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.

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity High

Privileges Required Low

Scope Changed

Confidentiality Impact High

Integrity Impact High

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Exploitation none

Automatable no

Technical Impact total

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
unaffected
Version Status Constraints
0 affected < 2.75.1
Canonical Ubuntu 16.04 LTS affected
Version Status Constraints
2.61.4ubuntu0.16.04.1+esm2 unaffected < *
Canonical Ubuntu 18.04 LTS affected
Version Status Constraints
2.61.4ubuntu0.18.04.1+esm2 unaffected < *
Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS affected
Version Status Constraints
2.67.1+20.04ubuntu1~esm1 unaffected < *
Canonical Ubuntu 22.04 LTS affected
Version Status Constraints
2.73+ubuntu22.04.1 unaffected < *
Canonical Ubuntu 24.04 LTS affected
Version Status Constraints
2.73+ubuntu24.04.2 unaffected < *

No data.

No data.

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8102-1 snapd vulnerability
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8102-2 snapd regression
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/03/18/1 cve-icon
https://blog.qualys.com/vulnerabilities-threat-research/2026/03/17/cve-2026-3888-important-snap-flaw-enables-local-privilege-escalation-to-root cve-icon cve-icon
https://cdn2.qualys.com/advisory/2026/03/17/snap-confine-systemd-tmpfiles.txt cve-icon cve-icon
https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/snapd-local-privilege-escalation-cve-2026-3888 cve-icon cve-icon
https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-3888 cve-icon cve-icon
https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8102-1 cve-icon cve-icon
History

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Canonical
Canonical ubuntu
Vendors & Products Canonical
Canonical ubuntu

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description 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.
Title Local Privilege Escalation in snapd
Weaknesses CWE-268
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: canonical

Published:

Updated: 2026-03-18T08:59:07.522Z

Reserved: 2026-03-10T16:03:08.583Z

Link: CVE-2026-3888

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-03-18T03:02:10.640Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-03-17T14:16:17.410

Modified: 2026-03-18T04:17:30.720

Link: CVE-2026-3888

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-03-18T12:13:23Z

Weaknesses