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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-72693

🗓️ 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 4 Views

openvt -u privilege escalation via stat() on /proc fd allowing passwordless root login.

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Code
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(334496);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/08/11");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-72693");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-72693");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - `openvt -u` is intended to identify the owner of the current VT and then execute `login` as that user from
    a privileged context. In the documented `kbrequest`/init usage, the ownership test in
    `authenticate_user()` relies on `stat(/proc/<pid>/fd/0)`. `stat()` on `/proc/<pid>/fd/0` follows the
    symlink to the underlying TTY device node. As a result, `buf.st_uid` reflects the owner of the TTY node
    rather than the owner of the process holding the file descriptor. If the TTY owner returns to `root` or
    the getty owner after logout while an unprivileged process still has `fd 0` attached to that TTY, the
    check can incorrectly treat that process as belonging to the privileged console owner. Once that check
    succeeds, the `-u` path executes a passwordless login as the selected user. In the documented
    `kbrequest`/init deployment using `openvt -us`, this can result in passwordless `login -f root` on the
    spawned VT. This report establishes that privilege escalation path for that documented deployment; it does
    not claim equivalent reachability for deployments that do not use `openvt -u` from a privileged
    `kbrequest`/init path. (CVE-2026-72693)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2026-72693");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2026-72693");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2026/08/11");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/08/11");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:centos:centos:7");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:centos:centos:8");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:10");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:kbd");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:kbd-legacy");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:kbd-misc");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:kbd");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:kbd-legacy");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:kbd-misc");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/CentOS Linux-7", "Host/OS/CentOS Linux-8", "Host/OS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux-10", "Host/OS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux-7", "Host/OS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux-8", "Host/OS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux-9");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/CentOS/rpm-list")) && empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/RedHat/rpm-list"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "CentOS Linux-7": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "7",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "kbd"},
          {"reference": "kbd-legacy"},
          {"reference": "kbd-misc"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "CentOS Linux-8": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "8",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "kbd"},
          {"reference": "kbd-legacy"},
          {"reference": "kbd-misc"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Red Hat Enterprise Linux-10": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "10",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "kbd"},
          {"reference": "kbd-legacy"},
          {"reference": "kbd-misc"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Red Hat Enterprise Linux-7": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "7",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "kbd"},
          {"reference": "kbd-legacy"},
          {"reference": "kbd-misc"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Red Hat Enterprise Linux-8": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "8",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "kbd"},
          {"reference": "kbd-legacy"},
          {"reference": "kbd-misc"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Red Hat Enterprise Linux-9": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "9",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "kbd"},
          {"reference": "kbd-legacy"},
          {"reference": "kbd-misc"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');

var third_party_support = get_kb_item('Host/OS/extended-third-party');
if (!empty_or_null(third_party_support)) {
    var third_party_vendors = distro_constraints_values['third_party'];
    if (!empty_or_null(third_party_vendors)) {
        var vendor;
        foreach vendor (third_party_vendors) {
            if (vendor == third_party_support) exit(0, 'A third party management patch is available for this vulnerability from ' + vendor + '.\n');
        }
    }
}

var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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11 Aug 2026 00:00Current
5.6Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.6
CVSS 3.17.8
EPSS0.001
SSVC
4