CVE-2026-28372
telnetd in GNU inetutils through 2.7 allows privilege escalation that can be exploited by abusing systemd service credentials support added to the login(1) implementation of util-linux in release 2.40.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.37%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
telnetd in GNU inetutils through 2.7 allows privilege escalation that can be exploited by abusing systemd service credentials support added to the login(1) implementation of util-linux in release 2.40. This is related to client control over the CREDENTIALS_DIRECTORY environment variable, and requires an unprivileged local user to create a login.noauth file.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.37% probability · 31th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-829
- Affected
- gnu/inetutils
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
References
- https://git.hadrons.org/cgit/debian/pkgs/inetutils.git/commit/?id=3953943d8296310485f98963883a798545ab9a6cPatch
- https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-inetutils/2026-02/msg00000.htmlExploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-inetutils/2026-02/msg00012.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/02/24/1Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/02/27/3Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/03/06/2
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/03/06/3
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/03/07/1
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/03/07/2
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.