pam_usb: getenv() used in PAM context allows environment variable injection into local-check logic
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-48980 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | GitHub_M |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-06-18 20:16:14 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-06-22 17:56:35 UTC |
| Description | pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using removable media. In versions prior to 0.9.2, getenv() environment variables XRDP_SESSION, DISPLAY and TMUX allow environment variable injection into local-check logic. These environment variables influence whether a current session is local or remote, and a PAM module that runs in the context of setuid binaries (sudo, su), getenv() returns attacker-controlled values whenever the process environment has been manipulated by a local user. This issue has been fixed in version 0.9.2. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 6.3 MEDIUM from [email protected]
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Problem Types: CWE-454 | CWE-807 | CWE-454 CWE-454: External Initialization of Trusted Variables or Data Stores | CWE-807 CWE-807: Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Secondary | 6.3 | MEDIUM | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
| 3.1 | CNA | DECLARED | 6.3 | MEDIUM | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
LocalAttack Complexity
HighPrivileges Required
LowUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
NoneCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Vendor Declared Affected Products
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| github.com/mcdope/pam_usb/security/advisories/GHSA-qr83-mf3h-fvqr | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/mcdope/pam_usb/releases/tag/0.9.2 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
No vendor comments have been submitted for this CVE.
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.