7.5highHigh

CVE-2026-16445

A flaw was found in dracut. A remote attacker on the adjacent network can exploit this vulnerability by providing specially crafted DHCP options, such as a malicious root-path, next-server, or bootfile name, to a system using dracut's NetworkManager-based initrd network module. These options are improperly handled and written into a temporary shell script without proper escaping, leading to command injection. This allows the attacker to achieve root code execution within the initramfs during system boot.

What the metrics mean

  • It is reachable only from the same local or logical network.
  • For an attacker who can reach it, exploitation depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
  • To exploit it, no account is needed.
  • Beyond that, no action by a user is required.

Scoring

CVSS
7.5 (v3.1)
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-78
Assigned by
secalert@redhat.com

Dates

Published
2026-07-21
Last modified
2026-08-31
Sources
NVD

References