Gentoo alert 202601-01 (inetutils)
| From: | glsamaker@gentoo.org | |
| To: | gentoo-announce@lists.gentoo.org | |
| Subject: | [gentoo-announce] [ GLSA 202601-01 ] inetutils: Remote Code Execution | |
| Date: | Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:24:29 -0000 | |
| Message-ID: | <176942306947.7.5266533841579574760@3f85d36892cf> |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gentoo Linux Security Advisory GLSA 202601-01 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - https://security.gentoo.org/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Severity: High Title: inetutils: Remote Code Execution Date: January 26, 2026 Bugs: #969065 ID: 202601-01 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Synopsis ======== A vulnerability has been discovered in the telnetd module of inetutils, which allows remote code execution as root. Background ========== Inetutils is a collection of common network programs including a telnet client and server. Affected packages ================= Package Vulnerable Unaffected ------------------ ------------ ------------ net-misc/inetutils < 2.7 >= 2.7 Description =========== The telnetd server invokes /usr/bin/login (normally running as root) passing the value of the USER environment variable received from the client as the last parameter. If the client supply a carefully crafted USER environment value being the string "-f root", and passes the telnet(1) -a or --login parameter to send this USER environment to the server, the client will be automatically logged in as root bypassing normal authentication processes. This happens because the telnetd server do not sanitize the USER environment variable before passing it on to login(1), and login(1) uses the -f parameter to by-pass normal authentication. Impact ====== An attacker can login as root via the telnetd daemon. Workaround ========== Reinstall inetutils with the telnetd USE flag disabled. This is the default in Gentoo. Resolution ========== All inetutils users with the telnetd USE flag enabled should upgrade to the latest version: # emerge --sync # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=net-misc/inetutils-2.7" References ========== [ 1 ] CVE-2026-24061 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24061 Availability ============ This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website: https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202601-01 Concerns? ========= Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the confidentiality and security of our users' machines is of utmost importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at https://bugs.gentoo.org. License ======= Copyright 2026 Gentoo Foundation, Inc; referenced text belongs to its owner(s). The contents of this document are licensed under the Creative Commons - Attribution / Share Alike license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
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