CVE-2026-15816
Received Received - Intake

dracut Command Injection via DHCP ROOT_PATH

Publication date: 2026-08-07

Last updated on: 2026-08-07

Assigner: Red Hat, Inc.

Description
A flaw was found in dracut. The die() error-handling function writes its message into a shell script under the initramfs emergency-hook directory without properly shell-quoting it. When the message contains data derived from the DHCP ROOT_PATH option, an attacker on the adjacent network who controls a rogue DHCP server can inject a command-substitution sequence that executes as root the next time dracut sources its emergency hook scripts during standard boot-failure handling.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-08-07
Last Modified
2026-08-07
Generated
2026-08-07
AI Q&A
2026-08-07
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-15816
EUVD
EUVD-2026-54451

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
redhat dracut *
dracutdevs dracut *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-78 The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

CVE-2026-15816 is a flaw in dracut's error-handling function die(). It writes error messages to emergency-hook scripts without proper shell quoting. If the message contains DHCP-controlled data like ROOT_PATH, an attacker on the same network can inject command-substitution sequences. These execute as root when dracut sources the emergency hook during boot failure handling.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check if your system uses dracut and relies on network/PXE boot with DHCP-supplied ROOT_PATH. Inspect emergency-hook scripts under /usr/lib/dracut/hooks/emergency/ for suspicious content. Monitor DHCP server logs for malformed ROOT_PATH options.

Impact Analysis

An attacker on your local network could gain root access to your system. This happens if your system uses network/PXE boot with DHCP-supplied root path and dracut fails to resolve the netroot handler. The attacker would need to control a rogue DHCP server and craft malicious DHCP options.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized root access, violating data confidentiality and integrity requirements in GDPR and HIPAA. A successful exploit may result in data breaches, unauthorized modifications, or system compromise, all of which are critical compliance violations.

Mitigation Strategies

Restrict access to DHCP servers on boot networks until a patch is applied. Disable network/PXE boot if not required. Monitor for unauthorized emergency-hook script modifications. Apply vendor patches once available.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-15816. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart