CVE-2026-48985

Authentication-process crash via empty loginctl field

Published Jun 18, 2026 · Updated Jun 18, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in pam_usb 0.9.1 and earlier allows local users to crash authenticating processes via loginctl output. In pusb_is_loginctl_local(), strtok_r returns NULL for a newline-only Remote field, and strcmp then dereferences that pointer. Exploitation requires a local low-privileged user to influence the loginctl result during authentication; the resulting SIGSEGV interrupts sudo, login, or another PAM-backed service and can deny access to all of that service's users.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

NULL pointer dereference in pam_usb 0.9.1 and earlier allows local users to crash authenticating processes via loginctl output. In pusb_is_loginctl_local(), strtok_r returns NULL for a newline-only Remote field, and strcmp then dereferences that pointer. Exploitation requires a local low-privileged user to influence the loginctl result during authentication; the resulting SIGSEGV interrupts sudo, login, or another PAM-backed service and can deny access to all of that service's users.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-48985
Published
Jun 18, 2026
Updated
Jun 18, 2026
Vendor
mcdope
Product
pam_usb
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 18, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 18, 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=< 0.9.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

mcdope · pam_usbversion=< 0.9.2

Published CVSS scores

5.5GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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

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Your stack

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