Description
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.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-On | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-On | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update Service | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP Solutions | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.12 | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Hardened Images | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | — | — |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | — | — |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | dracut | 112-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | dracut | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | dracut | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | dracut | 110-11ubuntu0.1 | USN-8828-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | dracut | 060+5-1ubuntu3.4 | USN-8828-1 |
Show 4 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 22.04 LTS | dracut | 051-1ubuntu0.1~esm1 | USN-8828-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | dracut | 048+80-2ubuntu0.1~esm1 | USN-8828-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS | dracut | 047-2ubuntu0.1~esm1 | USN-8828-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | dracut | 044+3-3ubuntu0.1~esm1 | USN-8828-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8 | dracut +7 | 049-244.git20260529.el8_10 | RHSA-2026:26534 |
Show 7 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8.8 TUS | dracut +1 | 049-223.git20230119.el8_8.1 | RHSA-2026:61252 |
| RHEL 8.8 E4S | dracut +1 | 049-223.git20230119.el8_8.1 | RHSA-2026:61252 |
| RHEL 8.6 EUS Long Life | dracut +7 | 049-203.git20220511.el8_6.1 | RHSA-2026:69119 |
| RHEL 8.6 AUS | dracut +7 | 049-203.git20220511.el8_6.1 | RHSA-2026:69119 |
| RHEL 8.4 EUS Long Life | dracut +7 | 049-138.git20220131.el8_4.1 | RHSA-2026:69118 |
| RHEL 8.4 AUS | dracut +7 | 049-138.git20220131.el8_4.1 | RHSA-2026:69118 |
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | dracut +7 | 109-7.hum1 | RHSA-2026:40700 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP7 | dracut | 059+suse.576.g72b98359a-150700.3.23.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3931-1 |
| SLES 15 SP6 | dracut | 059+suse.571.g3d42218af-150600.3.35.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3997-1 |
| SLES 15 SP5 | dracut | 055+suse.408.g34171a9-150500.3.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4079-1 |
| SLES 15 SP4 | dracut | 055+suse.371.g92f67c2-150400.3.55.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4078-1 |
Show 13 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 16.0 | dracut | 059+suse.730.g73d3411aa-160000.1.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:23614-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP6 | dracut | 059+suse.571.g3d42218af-150600.3.35.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3997-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP5 | dracut | 055+suse.408.g34171a9-150500.3.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4079-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP4 | dracut | 055+suse.371.g92f67c2-150400.3.55.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4078-1 |
| SLES 16.0 | dracut | 059+suse.730.g73d3411aa-160000.1.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:23614-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.2 | dracut | 059+suse.730.g73d3411aa-160000.1.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:23466-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.1 | dracut | 059+suse.649.g0274006-slfo.1.1_1.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:23513-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.0 | dracut | 059+suse.615.g018c5a4-1.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:23444-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | dracut | 055+suse.408.g34171a9-150500.3.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4079-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.4 | dracut | 055+suse.371.g92f67c2-150400.3.55.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4078-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.3 | dracut | 055+suse.371.g92f67c2-150400.3.55.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4078-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP5 | dracut | 055+suse.408.g34171a9-150500.3.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4079-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP4 | dracut | 055+suse.371.g92f67c2-150400.3.55.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4078-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | dracut | 112+suse.47.gec0b378-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:11657-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | dracut | 059+suse.730.g73d3411aa-160000.1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:21749-1 |
Advisories 16
- RHSA-2026:69118 Red Hat Security Advisory: dracut security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 13, 2026
- RHSA-2026:69119 Red Hat Security Advisory: dracut security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 15, 2026
- RHSA-2026:61252 Red Hat Security Advisory: dracut security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 15, 2026
- RHSA-2026:26534 Red Hat Security Advisory: dracut security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 15, 2026
- RHSA-2026:40700 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 6, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:23614-1 Security update for dracut SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 29, 2026
- USN-8828-1 dracut vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Sep 28, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:23513-1 Security update for dracut SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 15, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:23466-1 Security update for dracut SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 14, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:23444-1 Security update for dracut SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 14, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:4078-1 Security update for dracut SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 13, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:4079-1 Security update for dracut SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 13, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:3997-1 Security update for dracut SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 13, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:3931-1 Security update for dracut SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 10, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:21749-1 Security update for dracut SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 9, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:11657-1 dracut-112+suse.47.gec0b378-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 2, 2026
References
- RHSA-2026:26534 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2026:40700 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2026:61252 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2026:69118 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2026:69119 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2026:90272 vendor-advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-16445 vdb-entry
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2459963
- RHBZ#2503147 issue-tracking
- https://github.com/dracutdevs/dracut/commit/e509c638e6