CVE-2026-61898

accountsservice: shell injection via attacker-controlled ~/.pam_environment in Ubuntu language helper scripts

Published Aug 20, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
The Ubuntu-specific language helper scripts (save-to-pam-env, update-langlist) shipped with accountsservice before 23.13.9-8ubuntu7 treat the user-controlled LANGUAGE entry in ~/.pam_environment as trusted input. The value is interpolated unescaped into a GNU sed replacement expression, allowing an attacker to inject a sed 'e' flag and arbitrary shell commands that execute with the privileges of the AccountsService helper process (real UID 0) via the SetLanguage D-Bus method.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8580-1 AccountsService vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8580-2 AccountsService vulnerabilities
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 Canonical
Canonical accountsservice
Vendors & Products Canonical
Canonical accountsservice
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description The Ubuntu-specific language helper scripts (save-to-pam-env, update-langlist) shipped with accountsservice before 23.13.9-8ubuntu7 treat the user-controlled LANGUAGE entry in ~/.pam_environment as trusted input. The value is interpolated unescaped into a GNU sed replacement expression, allowing an attacker to inject a sed 'e' flag and arbitrary shell commands that execute with the privileges of the AccountsService helper process (real UID 0) via the SetLanguage D-Bus method.
Title accountsservice: shell injection via attacker-controlled ~/.pam_environment in Ubuntu language helper scripts
Weaknesses CWE-78
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
canonical
Published
Updated
Aug 26, 2026, 7:50 PM
Reserved
Jul 11, 2026, 6:43 PM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
Aug 20, 2026, 3:17 PM
Modified
Oct 18, 2026, 8:10 PM
Severity
Important
Public date
Aug 20, 2026, 2:32 PM