CVE-2026-53694Public exploit

Root privilege escalation via nxchmod.sh argument injection

Published Jun 10, 2026 · Updated Jun 10, 2026

Argument injection in NoMachine Server before 9.5.7 and before 8.23.2 allows local users to escalate privileges to root on Linux. The root-run nxchmod.sh script passes an attacker-controlled filename to chmod without preserving it as one argument, allowing injected -R and -L options to follow a symlink and change a system file's permissions. Exploitation requires Wayland with active Xwayland and a graphical session; the published proof of concept makes /etc/passwd writable and adds a root account.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Argument injection in NoMachine Server before 9.5.7 and before 8.23.2 allows local users to escalate privileges to root on Linux. The root-run nxchmod.sh script passes an attacker-controlled filename to chmod without preserving it as one argument, allowing injected -R and -L options to follow a symlink and change a system file's permissions. Exploitation requires Wayland with active Xwayland and a graphical session; the published proof of concept makes /etc/passwd writable and adds a root account.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-53694
Published
Jun 10, 2026
Updated
Jun 10, 2026
Vendor
NoMachine
Product
NoMachine
Classifications
CWE-88, CAPEC-6, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 10, 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 <8.23.2
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <9.5.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

NoMachine · NoMachineversion=0 <8.23.2; version=0 <9.5.7

Published CVSS scores

7.3CIRCLCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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-88Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')
CAPEC-6Argument Injection
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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