Root shell access via passwordless uid 0 account
Published Jul 24, 2026 · Updated Jul 24, 2026
Improper authentication in LOYTEC LINX-A64 firmware through 8.4.16 allows local users to obtain a root shell without a password. The PAM configuration accepts an /etc/passwd entry whose uid is 0 and whose password field is empty, authenticating that account without a secret. Local access and existing high privileges are required; successful exploitation grants full device control through a root shell.
Summary
What happened
Improper authentication in LOYTEC LINX-A64 firmware through 8.4.16 allows local users to obtain a root shell without a password. The PAM configuration accepts an /etc/passwd entry whose uid is 0 and whose password field is empty, authenticating that account without a secret. Local access and existing high privileges are required; successful exploitation grants full device control through a root shell.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-12504
- Published
- Jul 24, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 24, 2026
- Vendor
- LOYTEC
- Product
- L-GATE
- Classifications
- CWE-521, CWE-287, CAPEC-122, CAPEC-115, T1078.003
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 24, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <=8.4.16
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo