fix(install): follow symlink components in destination path with -D

install -D was replacing pre-existing symlinks in the destination path
with real directories instead of following them, breaking any workflow
where part of the install prefix is a symlink (BOSH, Homebrew, Nix,
stow, `make install` with a symlinked prefix).

Author: abendrothj

src/uu/install/src/install.rs

@@ -631,8 +631,7 @@ fn standard(mut paths: Vec<OsString>, b: &Behavior) -> UResult<()> {
             };
 
             let dir_exists = if to_create.exists() {
-                fs::symlink_metadata(to_create)
-                    .is_ok_and(|m| m.is_dir() && !m.file_type().is_symlink())
+                metadata(to_create).is_ok_and(|m| m.is_dir())
             } else {
                 false
             };
@@ -643,7 +642,7 @@ fn standard(mut paths: Vec<OsString>, b: &Behavior) -> UResult<()> {
                     if b.target_dir.is_none()
                         && sources.len() == 1
                         && !is_potential_directory_path(&target)
-                        && let Ok(dir_fd) = DirFd::open(to_create, SymlinkBehavior::NoFollow)
+                        && let Ok(dir_fd) = DirFd::open(to_create, SymlinkBehavior::Follow)
                         && let Some(filename) = target.file_name()
                     {
                         target_parent_fd = Some(dir_fd);

src/uucore/src/lib/features/safe_traversal.rs

@@ -377,16 +377,16 @@ fn find_existing_ancestor(path: &Path) -> io::Result<(PathBuf, Vec<OsString>)> {
     let mut components: Vec<OsString> = Vec::new();
 
     loop {
-        // Use symlink_metadata to NOT follow symlinks
-        match fs::symlink_metadata(&current) {
+        // Use metadata (follow symlinks) so that symlinks to directories are
+        // treated as existing ancestors rather than components to create.
+        match fs::metadata(&current) {
             Ok(meta) => {
-                if meta.is_dir() && !meta.file_type().is_symlink() {
-                    // Found a real directory (not a symlink to a directory)
+                if meta.is_dir() {
+                    // Found a directory (real or via symlink)
                     components.reverse();
                     return Ok((current, components));
                 }
-                // It's a symlink, file, or other non-directory - treat as needing creation
-                // This ensures symlinks get replaced by open_or_create_subdir
+                // It's a file or other non-directory - treat as needing creation
                 if let Some(file_name) = current.file_name() {
                     components.push(file_name.to_os_string());
                 }
@@ -456,9 +456,10 @@ fn open_or_create_subdir(parent_fd: &DirFd, name: &OsStr, mode: u32) -> io::Resu
             match file_type {
                 libc::S_IFDIR => parent_fd.open_subdir(name, SymlinkBehavior::NoFollow),
                 libc::S_IFLNK => {
-                    parent_fd.unlink_at(name, false)?;
-                    parent_fd.mkdir_at(name, mode)?;
-                    parent_fd.open_subdir(name, SymlinkBehavior::NoFollow)
+                    // Follow symlinks to directories (GNU coreutils behavior).
+                    // O_DIRECTORY in open_subdir ensures we only succeed if the
+                    // symlink resolves to a directory; dangling or non-dir symlinks error out.
+                    parent_fd.open_subdir(name, SymlinkBehavior::Follow)
                 }
                 _ => Err(io::Error::new(
                     io::ErrorKind::AlreadyExists,
@@ -1150,23 +1151,23 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn test_create_dir_all_safe_replaces_symlink() {
+    fn test_create_dir_all_safe_follows_symlink() {
         let temp_dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
         let target_dir = temp_dir.path().join("target");
         fs::create_dir(&target_dir).unwrap();
 
-        // Create a symlink where we want to create a directory
-        let symlink_path = temp_dir.path().join("link_to_replace");
+        // Create a symlink pointing to an existing directory
+        let symlink_path = temp_dir.path().join("link");
         symlink(&target_dir, &symlink_path).unwrap();
         assert!(symlink_path.is_symlink());
 
-        // create_dir_all_safe should replace the symlink with a real directory
+        // create_dir_all_safe should follow the symlink (GNU coreutils behavior)
         let dir_fd = create_dir_all_safe(&symlink_path, 0o755).unwrap();
         assert!(dir_fd.as_raw_fd() >= 0);
 
-        // Verify the symlink was replaced with a real directory
-        assert!(symlink_path.is_dir());
-        assert!(!symlink_path.is_symlink());
+        // Verify the symlink is preserved (not replaced with a real directory)
+        assert!(symlink_path.is_symlink());
+        assert!(symlink_path.is_dir()); // still resolves to a directory via the symlink
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -1183,8 +1184,8 @@ mod tests {
     fn test_create_dir_all_safe_nested_symlink_in_path() {
         let temp_dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
 
-        // Create: parent/symlink -> target
-        // Then try to create: parent/symlink/subdir
+        // Create: parent/link -> target
+        // Then create: parent/link/subdir
         let parent = temp_dir.path().join("parent");
         let target = temp_dir.path().join("target");
         fs::create_dir(&parent).unwrap();
@@ -1193,18 +1194,17 @@ mod tests {
         let symlink_in_path = parent.join("link");
         symlink(&target, &symlink_in_path).unwrap();
 
-        // Try to create parent/link/subdir - the symlink should be replaced
+        // Try to create parent/link/subdir - the symlink should be followed (GNU behavior)
         let nested_path = symlink_in_path.join("subdir");
         let dir_fd = create_dir_all_safe(&nested_path, 0o755).unwrap();
         assert!(dir_fd.as_raw_fd() >= 0);
 
-        // The symlink should have been replaced with a real directory
-        assert!(!symlink_in_path.is_symlink());
-        assert!(symlink_in_path.is_dir());
-        assert!(nested_path.is_dir());
+        // The symlink should be preserved, not replaced
+        assert!(symlink_in_path.is_symlink());
+        assert!(symlink_in_path.is_dir()); // resolves via symlink
 
-        // Target directory should not contain subdir (race attack prevented)
-        assert!(!target.join("subdir").exists());
+        // subdir should have been created inside the real target directory
+        assert!(target.join("subdir").exists());
     }
 
     #[test]

tests/by-util/test_install.rs

@@ -2573,90 +2573,154 @@ fn test_install_normal_file_replaces_symlink() {
 #[test]
 #[cfg(unix)]
 fn test_install_d_symlink_race_condition() {
-    // Test for symlink race condition fix (issue #10013)
-    // Verifies that pre-existing symlinks in path are handled safely
+    // Test that pre-existing symlinks in the path are followed (GNU coreutils behavior).
+    // install -D should traverse symlink components rather than replacing them.
     use std::os::unix::fs::symlink;
 
     let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
     let at = &scene.fixtures;
 
-    // Create test directories
     at.mkdir("target");
-
-    // Create source file
     at.write("source_file", "test content");
 
-    // Set up a pre-existing symlink attack scenario
     at.mkdir_all("testdir/a");
-    let intermediate_dir = at.plus("testdir/a/b");
-    symlink(at.plus("target"), &intermediate_dir).unwrap();
+    symlink(at.plus("target"), at.plus("testdir/a/b")).unwrap();
 
-    // Run install -D which should detect and handle the symlink
-    let result = scene
+    // install -D should follow the symlink and write into the symlink target
+    scene
         .ucmd()
         .arg("-D")
         .arg(at.plus("source_file"))
         .arg(at.plus("testdir/a/b/c/file"))
-        .run();
-
-    let wrong_location = at.plus("target/c/file");
+        .succeeds();
 
-    // The critical assertion: file must NOT be in symlink target (race prevented)
+    // File must be written through the symlink, i.e. inside the real target dir
     assert!(
-        !wrong_location.exists(),
-        "RACE CONDITION NOT PREVENTED: File was created in symlink target"
+        at.plus("target/c/file").exists(),
+        "File should be written through the symlink into the real target directory"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        fs::read_to_string(at.plus("target/c/file")).unwrap(),
+        "test content"
     );
 
-    // If the command succeeded, verify the file is in the correct location
-    if result.succeeded() {
-        assert!(at.file_exists("testdir/a/b/c/file"));
-        assert_eq!(at.read("testdir/a/b/c/file"), "test content");
-        // The symlink should have been replaced with a real directory
-        assert!(
-            at.plus("testdir/a/b").is_dir() && !at.plus("testdir/a/b").is_symlink(),
-            "Intermediate path should be a real directory, not a symlink"
-        );
-    }
+    // The symlink must not have been replaced with a real directory
+    assert!(
+        at.plus("testdir/a/b").is_symlink(),
+        "Intermediate symlink should be preserved, not replaced with a real directory"
+    );
 }
 
 #[test]
 #[cfg(unix)]
 fn test_install_d_symlink_race_condition_concurrent() {
-    // Test pre-existing symlinks in intermediate paths are handled correctly
+    // Verify symlink-following behavior is consistent (companion to the test above).
     use std::os::unix::fs::symlink;
 
     let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
     let at = &scene.fixtures;
 
-    // Create test directories and source file using testing framework
     at.mkdir("target2");
     at.write("source_file2", "test content 2");
 
-    // Set up intermediate directory with symlink
     at.mkdir_all("testdir2/a");
     symlink(at.plus("target2"), at.plus("testdir2/a/b")).unwrap();
 
-    // Run install -D
     scene
         .ucmd()
         .arg("-D")
         .arg(at.plus("source_file2"))
         .arg(at.plus("testdir2/a/b/c/file"))
         .succeeds();
 
-    // Verify file was created at the intended destination
-    assert!(at.file_exists("testdir2/a/b/c/file"));
-    assert_eq!(at.read("testdir2/a/b/c/file"), "test content 2");
+    // File should be in the real target directory (symlink was followed)
+    assert!(
+        at.plus("target2/c/file").exists(),
+        "File should be written through the symlink into the real target directory"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        fs::read_to_string(at.plus("target2/c/file")).unwrap(),
+        "test content 2"
+    );
 
-    // Verify file was NOT created in symlink target
+    // Symlink should be preserved
     assert!(
-        !at.plus("target2/c/file").exists(),
-        "File should NOT be in symlink target location"
+        at.plus("testdir2/a/b").is_symlink(),
+        "Intermediate symlink should be preserved, not replaced with a real directory"
     );
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[cfg(unix)]
+fn test_install_d_follows_symlink_prefix() {
+    // Regression test for: install -D replaces symlink components instead of following them.
+    // Reproduces the exact scenario from the bug report: a symlinked install prefix
+    // (common in BOSH, Homebrew, Nix, stow) must be followed, not destroyed.
+    use std::os::unix::fs::symlink;
+
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+
+    // Simulate: ln -s /tmp/target /tmp/link
+    at.mkdir("target");
+    symlink(at.plus("target"), at.plus("link")).unwrap();
+
+    at.write("file.txt", "hello");
 
-    // Verify intermediate path is now a real directory
+    // install -D -m 644 file.txt link/subdir/file.txt
+    scene
+        .ucmd()
+        .args(&["-D", "-m", "644"])
+        .arg(at.plus("file.txt"))
+        .arg(at.plus("link/subdir/file.txt"))
+        .succeeds();
+
+    // GNU expected: /tmp/link remains a symlink, file written to /tmp/target/subdir/file.txt
+    assert!(
+        at.plus("link").is_symlink(),
+        "The symlinked prefix must remain a symlink"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        at.plus("target/subdir/file.txt").exists(),
+        "File must be written into the real target directory via the symlink"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        fs::read_to_string(at.plus("target/subdir/file.txt")).unwrap(),
+        "hello"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[cfg(unix)]
+fn test_install_d_dangling_symlink_in_path_errors() {
+    // A dangling symlink as a path component must not be silently replaced with a
+    // real directory. GNU coreutils errors out in this case; we should too.
+    use std::os::unix::fs::symlink;
+
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+
+    // Create a symlink pointing to a nonexistent target (dangling)
+    symlink(at.plus("nonexistent"), at.plus("dangling")).unwrap();
+    assert!(at.plus("dangling").is_symlink());
+
+    at.write("file.txt", "hello");
+
+    // install -D file.txt dangling/subdir/file.txt should fail
+    scene
+        .ucmd()
+        .args(&["-D", "-m", "644"])
+        .arg(at.plus("file.txt"))
+        .arg(at.plus("dangling/subdir/file.txt"))
+        .fails();
+
+    // The dangling symlink must not have been replaced with a real directory
+    assert!(
+        at.plus("dangling").is_symlink(),
+        "Dangling symlink must not be replaced with a real directory"
+    );
     assert!(
-        at.plus("testdir2/a/b").is_dir() && !at.plus("testdir2/a/b").is_symlink(),
-        "Intermediate directory should be a real directory, not a symlink"
+        !at.plus("nonexistent").exists(),
+        "The symlink target must not have been created"
     );
 }