Dracut: dracut: root code execution via dhcp options command injection in networkmanager initrd module
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-16445 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | redhat |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-07-21 13:17:16 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-07-22 19:16:57 UTC |
| Description | A flaw was found in dracut. A remote attacker on the adjacent network can exploit this vulnerability by providing specially crafted DHCP options, such as a malicious root-path, next-server, or bootfile name, to a system using dracut's NetworkManager-based initrd network module. These options are improperly handled and written into a temporary shell script without proper escaping, leading to command injection. This allows the attacker to achieve root code execution within the initramfs during system boot. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 7.5 HIGH from [email protected]
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS: 0.009890000 probability, percentile 0.588010000 (date 2026-07-22)
Problem Types: CWE-78 | CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Secondary | 7.5 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | CNA | CVSS | 7.5 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
AdjacentAttack Complexity
HighPrivileges Required
NoneUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
HighCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | unaffected 0:049-244.git20260529.el8_10 * rpm | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Hardened Images | unaffected 109-7.hum1 * rpm | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Not specified | Not specified |
| CNA | Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Not specified | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:40700 | [email protected] | access.redhat.com | |
| github.com/dracutdevs/dracut/commit/e509c638e6 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:26534 | [email protected] | access.redhat.com | |
| bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi | [email protected] | bugzilla.redhat.com | |
| access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-16445 | [email protected] | access.redhat.com | |
| bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi | [email protected] | bugzilla.redhat.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
Vendor Comments And Credit
Discovery Credit
CNA: This issue was discovered by Pavel Valena (Red Hat). (en)
Additional Advisory Data
| Source | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| CNA | 2026-05-29T00:00:00.000Z | Reported to Red Hat. |
| CNA | 2026-07-21T00:00:00.000Z | Made public. |
Workarounds
CNA: Escape DHCP-derived values (root-path, next-server, dhcp-bootfile) with shell-safe quoting (for example printf '%q') before writing them to the generated dhcpopts file in modules.d/35network-manager/nm-run.sh. This approach is already used in dracut-057 and later, and is already present in the RHEL 8.10.z dracut-049-244.git20260529.el8_10 build.
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.