Privilege escalation via unchecked PAC certificates
Published Aug 20, 2026 · Updated Aug 20, 2026
Authentication bypass in FreeIPA allows remote authenticated users to access FreeIPA services via TGS client-name impersonation in AD trusts. FreeIPA services that accept trusted Active Directory Kerberos tickets do not verify Privilege Attribute Certificate certificates, allowing an attacker to present a Ticket Granting Service ticket whose client name impersonates another principal. Exploitation requires a configured FreeIPA-Active Directory trust and an authenticated AD account; Red Hat states the attack is further constrained by the need to register a duplicate or conflicting Service Principal Name in the Active Directory forest, but successful abuse can grant portal, SMB, LDAP, and other GSSAPI-backed access in the FreeIPA domain.
Summary
What happened
Authentication bypass in FreeIPA allows remote authenticated users to access FreeIPA services via TGS client-name impersonation in AD trusts. FreeIPA services that accept trusted Active Directory Kerberos tickets do not verify Privilege Attribute Certificate certificates, allowing an attacker to present a Ticket Granting Service ticket whose client name impersonates another principal. Exploitation requires a configured FreeIPA-Active Directory trust and an authenticated AD account; Red Hat states the attack is further constrained by the need to register a duplicate or conflicting Service Principal Name in the Active Directory forest, but successful abuse can grant portal, SMB, LDAP, and other GSSAPI-backed access in the FreeIPA domain.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-11861
- Published
- Aug 20, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 20, 2026
- Vendor
- 389 Directory Server
- Product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Classifications
- CWE-266
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 20, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 20, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Technologies
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