Root command execution via sed injection
Published Aug 20, 2026 · Updated Aug 20, 2026
OS command injection in Ubuntu AccountsService before 23.13.9-8ubuntu7 allows local users to execute root commands via SetLanguage. The Ubuntu-only save-to-pam-env and update-langlist helpers read the attacker-controlled LANGUAGE value from ~/.pam_environment and splice it unescaped into a GNU sed replacement expression, so a crafted value can add sed's command-execution behavior and shell syntax. Exploitation requires local access and the ability to call the SetLanguage D-Bus method, and Ubuntu states that the flaw is in its downstream language-tools patch rather than in upstream accountsservice.
Summary
What happened
OS command injection in Ubuntu AccountsService before 23.13.9-8ubuntu7 allows local users to execute root commands via SetLanguage. The Ubuntu-only save-to-pam-env and update-langlist helpers read the attacker-controlled LANGUAGE value from ~/.pam_environment and splice it unescaped into a GNU sed replacement expression, so a crafted value can add sed's command-execution behavior and shell syntax. Exploitation requires local access and the ability to call the SetLanguage D-Bus method, and Ubuntu states that the flaw is in its downstream language-tools patch rather than in upstream accountsservice.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-61898
- Published
- Aug 20, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 20, 2026
- Vendor
- Canonical
- Product
- AccountsService
- Classifications
- CWE-78, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 20, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 20, 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=22.07.5-2ubuntu1 <22.07.5-2ubuntu1.6
- Affected versionversion=23.13.9-2ubuntu6 <23.13.9-2ubuntu6.1
- Affected versionversion=23.13.9-8ubuntu5 <23.13.9-8ubuntu5.2
- Affected versionversion=23.13.9-8ubuntu6 <23.13.9-8ubuntu7
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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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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