CVE-2026-44713

pam_usb: Command injection via $TMUX environment variable leads to RCE as root

Published May 27, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 8.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. Prior to 0.8.7, src/tmux.c reads the user's $TMUX environment variable, splits it on commas, and interpolates the socket-path component directly into a shell command passed to popen(). Because the value is placed inside double-quotes without sanitisation, any value containing " terminates the quoted string and injects arbitrary shell syntax. popen() runs as root inside the PAM stack. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.8.7.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Mcdope
Mcdope pam Usb
Vendors & Products Mcdope
Mcdope pam Usb
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. Prior to 0.8.7, src/tmux.c reads the user's $TMUX environment variable, splits it on commas, and interpolates the socket-path component directly into a shell command passed to popen(). Because the value is placed inside double-quotes without sanitisation, any value containing " terminates the quoted string and injects arbitrary shell syntax. popen() runs as root inside the PAM stack. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.8.7.
Title pam_usb: Command injection via $TMUX environment variable leads to RCE as root
Weaknesses CWE-116
CWE-78
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
May 30, 2026, 1:48 AM
Reserved
May 7, 2026, 5:07 PM
Status
Deferred
Published
May 27, 2026, 9:16 PM
Modified
Oct 26, 2026, 12:10 PM