{"dataType": "CVE_RECORD", "dataVersion": "5.2", "cveMetadata": {"cveId": "CVE-2026-61898", "assignerOrgId": "cc1ad9ee-3454-478d-9317-d3e869d708bc", "state": "PUBLISHED", "assignerShortName": "canonical", "dateReserved": "2026-07-11T18:43:51.251Z", "datePublished": "2026-08-20T14:32:59.924Z", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-20T14:32:59.924Z"}, "containers": {"cna": {"title": "accountsservice: shell injection via attacker-controlled ~/.pam_environment in Ubuntu language helper scripts", "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "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."}], "affected": [{"vendor": "Canonical", "product": "accountsservice", "packageName": "accountsservice", "platforms": ["Ubuntu 14.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 16.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 18.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 20.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 22.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 24.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 26.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 26.10"], "versions": [{"version": "22.07.5-2ubuntu1", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "22.07.5-2ubuntu1.6", "versionType": "dpkg"}, {"version": "23.13.9-2ubuntu6", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "23.13.9-2ubuntu6.1", "versionType": "dpkg"}, {"version": "23.13.9-8ubuntu5", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "23.13.9-8ubuntu5.2", "versionType": "dpkg"}, {"version": "23.13.9-8ubuntu6", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "23.13.9-8ubuntu7", "versionType": "dpkg"}], "defaultStatus": "unaffected"}], "problemTypes": [{"descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "type": "CWE", "cweId": "CWE-78", "description": "CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')"}]}], "metrics": [{"cvssV3_1": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "baseScore": 7.8, "baseSeverity": "HIGH"}}], "references": [{"url": "https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/accountsservice/+bug/2157985", "name": "Launchpad Bug #2157985", "tags": ["issue-tracking"]}, {"url": "https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-61898", "name": "Ubuntu CVE Tracker", "tags": ["vendor-advisory"]}], "credits": [{"lang": "en", "type": "finder", "value": "Deutsche Telekom Security GmbH Red Team"}], "providerMetadata": {"orgId": "cc1ad9ee-3454-478d-9317-d3e869d708bc", "shortName": "canonical", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-20T14:32:59.924Z"}}}}

{}

{"affected": [{"affectedData": [{"defaultStatus": "unaffected", "packageName": "accountsservice", "platforms": ["Ubuntu 14.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 16.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 18.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 20.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 22.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 24.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 26.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 26.10"], "product": "accountsservice", "vendor": "Canonical", "versions": [{"lessThan": "22.07.5-2ubuntu1.6", "status": "affected", "version": "22.07.5-2ubuntu1", "versionType": "dpkg"}, {"lessThan": "23.13.9-2ubuntu6.1", "status": "affected", "version": "23.13.9-2ubuntu6", "versionType": "dpkg"}, {"lessThan": "23.13.9-8ubuntu5.2", "status": "affected", "version": "23.13.9-8ubuntu5", "versionType": "dpkg"}, {"lessThan": "23.13.9-8ubuntu7", "status": "affected", "version": "23.13.9-8ubuntu6", "versionType": "dpkg"}]}], "source": "security@ubuntu.com"}], "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "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."}], "id": "CVE-2026-61898", "lastModified": "2026-08-20T15:17:38.913", "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"cvssData": {"attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 7.8, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "userInteraction": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "version": "3.1"}, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8, "impactScore": 5.9, "source": "security@ubuntu.com", "type": "Secondary"}]}, "published": "2026-08-20T15:17:38.913", "references": [{"source": "security@ubuntu.com", "url": "https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/accountsservice/+bug/2157985"}, {"source": "security@ubuntu.com", "url": "https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-61898"}], "sourceIdentifier": "security@ubuntu.com", "vulnStatus": "Received", "weaknesses": [{"description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-78"}], "source": "security@ubuntu.com", "type": "Secondary"}]}

{}

{"affected": [{"configurations": [{"platform": ["ubuntu_14.04_lts", "ubuntu_16.04_lts", "ubuntu_18.04_lts", "ubuntu_20.04_lts", "ubuntu_22.04_lts", "ubuntu_24.04_lts", "ubuntu_26.04_lts", "ubuntu_26.10"], "status": "affected", "versions": {"scheme": "semver", "value": "[22.07.5-2ubuntu1,22.07.5-2ubuntu1.6)"}}, {"platform": ["ubuntu_14.04_lts", "ubuntu_16.04_lts", "ubuntu_18.04_lts", "ubuntu_20.04_lts", "ubuntu_22.04_lts", "ubuntu_24.04_lts", "ubuntu_26.04_lts", "ubuntu_26.10"], "status": "affected", "versions": {"scheme": "semver", "value": "[23.13.9-2ubuntu6,23.13.9-2ubuntu6.1)"}}, {"platform": ["ubuntu_14.04_lts", "ubuntu_16.04_lts", "ubuntu_18.04_lts", "ubuntu_20.04_lts", "ubuntu_22.04_lts", "ubuntu_24.04_lts", "ubuntu_26.04_lts", "ubuntu_26.10"], "status": "affected", "versions": {"scheme": "semver", "value": "[23.13.9-8ubuntu5,23.13.9-8ubuntu5.2)"}}, {"platform": ["ubuntu_14.04_lts", "ubuntu_16.04_lts", "ubuntu_18.04_lts", "ubuntu_20.04_lts", "ubuntu_22.04_lts", "ubuntu_24.04_lts", "ubuntu_26.04_lts", "ubuntu_26.10"], "status": "affected", "versions": {"scheme": "semver", "value": "[23.13.9-8ubuntu6,23.13.9-8ubuntu7)"}}], "enrichment": {"confidence": 100.0, "confidence_source": "matching", "scores": [{"score": 100.0, "source": "matching"}]}, "original": {"product": "accountsservice", "source": "cna", "vendor": "Canonical"}, "product": "accountsservice", "vendor": "canonical"}], "created": "2026-08-20T15:45:03.232242+00:00", "updated": "2026-08-20T15:45:03.232272+00:00", "vendors": ["canonical", "canonical$PRODUCT$accountsservice"]}