CVE-2026-61898
HIGH
7,8
Source: [email protected]
Attack Vector: local
Attack Complexity: low
Privileges Required: low
User Interaction: none
Scope: unchanged
Confidentiality: high
Integrity: high
Availability: high
Description
AI Translation Available
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.
78
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
StableCommon Consequences
Security Scopes Affected:
Confidentiality
Integrity
Availability
Non-Repudiation
Potential Impacts:
Execute Unauthorized Code Or Commands
Dos: Crash, Exit, Or Restart
Read Files Or Directories
Modify Files Or Directories
Read Application Data
Modify Application Data
Hide Activities
Applicable Platforms
Technologies:
Not Technology-Specific, AI/ML, Web Server
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/accountsservice/+bug/2157985
https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-61898