Root command execution via predictable GDB init file
Published Feb 6, 2026 · Updated Feb 6, 2026
Privilege escalation in Asterisk before 20.7-cert9, 20.18.2, 21.12.1, 22.8.2, or 23.2.2 allows local users to run commands as root. The root-only ast_coredumper script writes a predictable GDB initialization file into a caller-selected output directory and then sources it, permitting a pre-created file, symlink, or race to replace its commands. Exploitation requires write access to that directory and an administrator to run the script; a world-writable Linux directory such as /tmp satisfies that condition and also exposes attacker-controlled output paths to file overwrite or deletion.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in Asterisk before 20.7-cert9, 20.18.2, 21.12.1, 22.8.2, or 23.2.2 allows local users to run commands as root. The root-only ast_coredumper script writes a predictable GDB initialization file into a caller-selected output directory and then sources it, permitting a pre-created file, symlink, or race to replace its commands. Exploitation requires write access to that directory and an administrator to run the script; a world-writable Linux directory such as /tmp satisfies that condition and also exposes attacker-controlled output paths to file overwrite or deletion.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-23740
- Published
- Feb 6, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 6, 2026
- Vendor
- Asterisk
- Product
- Asterisk
- Classifications
- CWE-427, CAPEC-471, CAPEC-38, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 6, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=< 20.18.2
- Affected versionversion=< 20.7-cert9
- Affected versionversion=< 21.12.1
- Affected versionversion=< 22.8.2
- Affected versionversion=< 23.2.2
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
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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