CVE-2026-28372
Privilege Escalation in GNU inetutils telnetd via systemd Credentials Abuse
Publication date: 2026-02-27
Last updated on: 2026-03-07
Assigner: MITRE
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| gnu | inetutils | to 2.7 (inc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-829 | The product imports, requires, or includes executable functionality (such as a library) from a source that is outside of the intended control sphere. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability exists in telnetd in GNU inetutils through version 2.7 and involves privilege escalation. It can be exploited by abusing the systemd service credentials support that was added to the login(1) implementation of util-linux in release 2.40. The issue is related to client control over the CREDENTIALS_DIRECTORY environment variable and requires an unprivileged local user to create a login.noauth file.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
The vulnerability allows an unprivileged local user to escalate their privileges, potentially gaining higher-level access than intended. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive system functions and data, compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
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How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
I don't know
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
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