CVE-2026-44713Public exploit

Root command execution via unsanitized $TMUX socket path

Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026

OS command injection in mcdope pam_usb before 0.8.7 allows local users to execute arbitrary commands as root through a crafted $TMUX value. The src/tmux.c code splits $TMUX on commas, inserts the socket path unescaped inside double quotes, and passes the resulting command to popen() as root. A low-privileged account configured to use pam_usb for sudo, su, or login can obtain a root shell without the registered USB device.

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

What happened

OS command injection in mcdope pam_usb before 0.8.7 allows local users to execute arbitrary commands as root through a crafted $TMUX value. The src/tmux.c code splits $TMUX on commas, inserts the socket path unescaped inside double quotes, and passes the resulting command to popen() as root. A low-privileged account configured to use pam_usb for sudo, su, or login can obtain a root shell without the registered USB device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-44713
Published
May 27, 2026
Updated
May 27, 2026
Vendor
mcdope
Product
pam_usb
Classifications
CWE-78, CWE-116, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 27, 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=< 0.8.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

mcdope · pam_usbversion=< 0.8.7

Published CVSS scores

8.8GitHub, Inc.CVSS: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.

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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-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
CWE-116Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output
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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