CVE-2026-72693
Published:August 11, 2026
Updated:August 31, 2026
"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.
Affected Packages
https://github.com/legionus/kbd.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=v2.0.90 <v2.10.0Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v2.10.0Related Resources (5)
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Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
8.5
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
HIGH
Vulnerable System Integrity
HIGH
Vulnerable System Availability
HIGH
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
7.8
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Weakness Type (CWE)
Improper Access Control
EPSS
Base Score:
0.11