Skip to main content

util-linux CVE-2026-78408

| EUVDEUVD-2026-70105 HIGH
Missing Release of File Descriptor or Handle after Effective Lifetime (CWE-775)
2026-09-02 redhat
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Red Hat Openshift Container Platform 4 Suse Red Hat Hardened Images Red Hat
7.9
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: redhat
Share

Severity by source

Vendor (redhat) PRIMARY
7.9 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI
7.9 HIGH

Local attack vector with low-privilege attacker and required operator interaction (UI:R); scope change captures cross-boundary host-process impact with no confidentiality loss.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
SUSE
6.6 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Red Hat
7.9 HIGH
qualitative

Primary rating from Vendor (redhat).

CVSS VectorVendor: redhat

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

4
POC Analysis Generated
Sep 08, 2026 - 23:30 vuln.today
Metadata Corrected
Sep 02, 2026 - 16:40 vuln.today
tag: Information Disclosure replaced by Privilege Escalation
Analysis Generated
Sep 02, 2026 - 16:01 vuln.today
CVE Published
Sep 02, 2026 - 15:05 cve.org
HIGH 7.9

DescriptionCVE.org

The nsenter --join-cgroup option opens the target cgroup.procs file as root and leaves that file descriptor open across later namespace and credential changes and across execve(). Because the kernel checks later cgroup migrations using the credentials from the original open, a program run in an attacker-controlled target can inherit root's ability to move host processes between cgroups. After a privileged operator uses --join-cgroup against that target, an unprivileged user can migrate and terminate unrelated root processes.

AnalysisAI

Privilege escalation in util-linux's nsenter --join-cgroup option allows an unprivileged local user to move and terminate root-owned host processes by exploiting a persistent file descriptor opened as root that survives across namespace and credential changes. The kernel evaluates cgroup migration requests against the credentials held at fd-open time rather than the current caller's credentials, so any program that inherits the still-open cgroup.procs fd effectively retains root's cgroup management authority. …

Unlock full vulnerability intelligence

  • Risk assessment & exploitation conditions
  • Attack chain visualization
  • Remediation with exact patch versions
  • Threat intelligence from 22 sources
  • Personal watchlist & email alerts
Continue with Google Continue with GitHub

Free forever · No credit card required

Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata

Access
technique details hidden
Delivery
technique details hidden
Exploit
technique details hidden
Execution
technique details hidden
Persist
technique details hidden
Impact
technique details hidden
Sign in to reveal

Vulnerability AssessmentAI

Exploitation Exploitation requires two concurrent conditions. … Additional conditions and limiting factors are described in the full assessment.
Risk Assessment The CVSS 7.9 High score reflects a meaningful but bounded risk: AV:L constrains exploitation to hosts where the attacker already has a local shell, and UI:R requires a privileged operator to run nsenter --join-cgroup targeting an attacker-controlled cgroup - a social-engineering or insider-threat precondition that limits opportunistic mass exploitation. … Full risk analysis with EPSS, KEV, and SSVC signal comparison available after sign-in.
Exploit Scenario Full exploit scenario with step-by-step reproduction available after sign-in.
Remediation Apply the vendor-released patch via standard Red Hat errata channels as documented at https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-78408 and upstream at https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/security/advisories/GHSA-55fx-f4gg-cfhj; an exact patched util-linux release version is not independently confirmed from the provided data, so monitor Red Hat Bugzilla issue 2522497 (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2522497) for errata availability. … Detailed patch versions, workarounds, and compensating controls in full report.
Sign in to read full assessment

Recommended ActionAI

Within 24 hours, inventory all Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions 7-10 and OpenShift Container Platform 4 deployments and immediately restrict nsenter command execution to trusted administrative users via sudo configuration and SELinux/AppArmor policies. …

Sign in for detailed remediation steps and compensating controls.

Threat intelligence, references, and detailed analysis are available after sign-in.

More in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10

View all
CVE-2026-18663 MEDIUM
5.9 Aug 12

Heap corruption via double-free in 389-ds-base's LDAP control parsing allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to crash
CVE-2026-4631 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Apr 07

Remote code execution in Cockpit's web interface allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the h
CVE-2026-4480 CRITICAL POC
9.0 May 26

Remote code execution in Samba's printing subsystem allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary shell commands via craft
CVE-2026-18922 CRITICAL
9.8 Sep 07

Authentication bypass in 389 Directory Server (shipped as Red Hat Directory Server 11-13 and within RHEL 6-10) lets remo
CVE-2026-14544 CRITICAL
9.8 Jul 03

Remote code execution and privilege escalation in HPLIP (HP Linux Imaging and Printing) affects the hpcups print filter

CVE-2026-76578 CRITICAL
9.8 Sep 07

Unauthenticated privilege escalation in FreeIPA (Red Hat Identity Management) allows a remote attacker to gain genuine a
CVE-2026-5121 HIGH
7.5 Mar 30

Remote code execution in libarchive on 32-bit systems allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code via spe
CVE-2026-28369 CRITICAL
9.1 Mar 27

HTTP request smuggling in Undertow (the embedded web server underpinning JBoss EAP, Red Hat Data Grid, and Apache Camel

CVE-2026-28368 CRITICAL
9.1 Mar 27

HTTP request smuggling in Red Hat Undertow allows remote unauthenticated attackers to bypass front-end security controls
CVE-2026-33845 CRITICAL
9.1 Apr 30

Out-of-bounds read in the GnuTLS DTLS handshake reassembly logic lets remote unauthenticated attackers trigger an intege
CVE-2026-28367 CRITICAL
9.1 Mar 27

HTTP request smuggling in Undertow allows remote unauthenticated attackers to send `\r\r\r` as a header block terminator
CVE-2026-16526 HIGH
8.8 Jul 30

Local privilege escalation in Performance Co-Pilot (PCP) on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 through 10 and OpenShift Containe

Same weakness CWE-775 – Missing Release of File Descriptor or Handle after Effective Lifetime

View all
CVE-2019-25557 MEDIUM POC
6.2
CVE-2016-8819 HIGH
7.8
CVE-2024-24444 HIGH
7.5
CVE-2017-8452 HIGH
7.5

Vendor StatusVendor

SUSE

Severity: Moderate
Product Status
SLES15-SP5-CHOST-BYOS-SAP-CCloud Not-Affected
SLES15-SP6-CHOST-BYOS Not-Affected
SLES15-SP6-CHOST-BYOS-Aliyun Not-Affected
SLES15-SP6-CHOST-BYOS-Azure Not-Affected
SLES15-SP6-CHOST-BYOS-EC2 Not-Affected

Share

CVE-2026-78408 vulnerability details – vuln.today
Back

This site uses cookies essential for authentication and security. No tracking or analytics cookies are used. Privacy Policy