CVE-2026-41651Public exploit

Root code execution via mutable transaction flags

Published Apr 22, 2026 · Updated Apr 22, 2026

Local privilege escalation in PackageKit 1.0.2 through 1.3.4 allows local users to install arbitrary packages and execute scriptlets as root. InstallFiles overwrites cached transaction flags after authorization, while a rejected backward state change leaves the transaction running and a later callback consumes the altered flags. Any local user with a D-Bus session can race an authorization-free download request against an authenticated install request, causing package payloads to run with root privileges.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.46%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in PackageKit 1.0.2 through 1.3.4 allows local users to install arbitrary packages and execute scriptlets as root. InstallFiles overwrites cached transaction flags after authorization, while a rejected backward state change leaves the transaction running and a later callback consumes the altered flags. Any local user with a D-Bus session can race an authorization-free download request against an authenticated install request, causing package payloads to run with root privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-41651
Published
Apr 22, 2026
Updated
Apr 22, 2026
Vendor
PackageKit Project
Product
PackageKit
Classifications
CWE-367, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 22, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=>= 1.0.2, <= 1.3.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

PackageKit Project · PackageKitversion=>= 1.0.2, <= 1.3.4

Published CVSS scores

8.8GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-367Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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