pam_usb: Shell injection via device UUID and username in pamusb-conf and pamusb-agent

Description

pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. Prior to 0.8.7, a crafted UUID such as $(id>/tmp/rce) in the config causes root RCE when pamusb-conf --reset-pads is run. A USB device with a crafted filesystem UUID (some controllers allow this) can inject the payload at --add-device time. Also, userName from the XML config is passed to os.system() in pamusb-agent, which invokes a shell. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.8.7.

Scores

EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)

0.15% · top 95% of all CVEs (6 Nov 2026)

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total

The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 8.2.

Weakness

• CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') (opens in a new tab)All about CWE-78 and its CVEs
• CWE-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection') (opens in a new tab)All about CWE-88 and its CVEs

Affected products

• mcdope · pam_usb

  • affected < 0.8.7

References (1)

• https://github.com/mcdope/pam_usb/security/advisories/GHSA-jgv5-w6rm-7wxg (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRM

Sources

The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.

• CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
• CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
• NVD (opens in a new tab)
• FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
• OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
• GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
• CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)

Badge for a README or a ticket

[![CVE-2026-44712](https://trackcve.app/badge/CVE-2026-44712.svg)](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2026-44712)

Record last updated 28 May 2026, 13:17 UTC.