Local privilege escalation via PATH-hijacked helpers
Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026
Uncontrolled search paths in mcdope pam_usb before 0.9.0 allow local users to execute PATH-substituted helpers with elevated privileges. pamusb-check, pamusb-conf, and pamusb-keyring-unlock-gnome resolve tmux, findmnt, and other programs through attacker-influenced PATH entries. Exploitation requires control of the PAM or tool process environment; substituted code inherits the invoking process's privileges, permitting data access or modification but no service interruption.
Summary
What happened
Uncontrolled search paths in mcdope pam_usb before 0.9.0 allow local users to execute PATH-substituted helpers with elevated privileges. pamusb-check, pamusb-conf, and pamusb-keyring-unlock-gnome resolve tmux, findmnt, and other programs through attacker-influenced PATH entries. Exploitation requires control of the PAM or tool process environment; substituted code inherits the invoking process's privileges, permitting data access or modification but no service interruption.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-47274
- Published
- May 27, 2026
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- mcdope
- Product
- pam_usb
- Classifications
- CWE-427, T1574.007
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=< 0.9.0
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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