When bsdinstall or bsdconfig are prompted to scan for nearby Wi-Fi networks, they build up a list of network names and use bsddialog(1) to prompt the user to select a network. This is implemented using a shell script, and the code which handled network names was not careful to prevent expansion by the shell. As a result, a suitably crafted network name can be used to execute commands via a subshell.
The problem can be exploited to execute code as root on the system running bsdinstall or bsdconfig. The attacker would need to create an access point with a specially crafted name and be within range of a Wi-Fi scan. Note that bsdinstall and bsdconfig are vulnerable as soon as the user prompts them to scan for nearby networks; they do not need to actually select the malicious network.
The problem can be exploited to execute code as root on the system running bsdinstall or bsdconfig. The attacker would need to create an access point with a specially crafted name and be within range of a Wi-Fi scan. Note that bsdinstall and bsdconfig are vulnerable as soon as the user prompts them to scan for nearby networks; they do not need to actually select the malicious network.
Advisories
No advisories yet.
Fixes
Solution
No solution given by the vendor.
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Thu, 21 May 2026 11:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| First Time appeared |
Freebsd
Freebsd freebsd |
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| Vendors & Products |
Freebsd
Freebsd freebsd |
Thu, 21 May 2026 10:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | When bsdinstall or bsdconfig are prompted to scan for nearby Wi-Fi networks, they build up a list of network names and use bsddialog(1) to prompt the user to select a network. This is implemented using a shell script, and the code which handled network names was not careful to prevent expansion by the shell. As a result, a suitably crafted network name can be used to execute commands via a subshell. The problem can be exploited to execute code as root on the system running bsdinstall or bsdconfig. The attacker would need to create an access point with a specially crafted name and be within range of a Wi-Fi scan. Note that bsdinstall and bsdconfig are vulnerable as soon as the user prompts them to scan for nearby networks; they do not need to actually select the malicious network. | |
| Title | Remote code execution via installer Wi-Fi access point scans | |
| Weaknesses | CWE-78 | |
| References |
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Projects
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Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: freebsd
Published:
Updated: 2026-05-21T09:27:20.431Z
Reserved: 2026-05-11T16:27:44.891Z
Link: CVE-2026-45255
No data.
Status : Received
Published: 2026-05-21T10:16:26.497
Modified: 2026-05-21T10:16:26.497
Link: CVE-2026-45255
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
Updated: 2026-05-21T11:30:06Z
Weaknesses