CVE-2026-28372

Privilege Escalation via Telnetd and Systemd Credentials

Published Feb 27, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.4 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
telnetd in GNU inetutils through 2.7 allows privilege escalation that can be exploited by abusing systemd service credentials support added to the login(1) implementation of util-linux in release 2.40. This is related to client control over the CREDENTIALS_DIRECTORY environment variable, and requires an unprivileged local user to create a login.noauth file.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4527-1 inetutils security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8387-1 Inetutils vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Title Privilege Escalation via Telnetd and Systemd Credentials
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:gnu:inetutils:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Gnu
Gnu inetutils
Vendors & Products Gnu
Gnu inetutils
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description telnetd in GNU inetutils through 2.7 allows privilege escalation that can be exploited by abusing systemd service credentials support added to the login(1) implementation of util-linux in release 2.40. This is related to client control over the CREDENTIALS_DIRECTORY environment variable, and requires an unprivileged local user to create a login.noauth file.
Weaknesses CWE-829
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
mitre
Published
Updated
Mar 7, 2026, 5:05 PM
Reserved
Feb 27, 2026, 5:28 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Feb 27, 2026, 6:18 AM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 10:28 AM