Description
Linux-PAM through 1.7.2 contains an observable timing discrepancy (CWE-208) in the pam_userdb module's plaintext-password comparison path in modules/pam_userdb/pam_userdb.c that allows a local or network-adjacent attacker able to repeatedly drive authentication through a calling service to recover the plaintext password of a target account by measuring response-timing differences.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux-PAM | Linux-PAM | ≤ 1.7.2 | — |
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 | pam | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 13 | pam | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | pam | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | pam | 1.7.0-5ubuntu3.1 | USN-8601-1 |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | pam | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | pam | 1.5.3-5ubuntu5.6 | USN-8601-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | pam | 1.4.0-11ubuntu2.7 | USN-8601-1 |
Show 4 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | pam | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS | pam | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | pam | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | pam | No fix yet | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 10 | pam +2 | 1.6.1-9.el10_2.1 | RHSA-2026:59379 |
| RHEL 9 | pam +2 | 1.5.1-27.el9_8.1 | RHSA-2026:64815, RHSA-2026:60224 |
| RHEL 8 | pam +1 | 1.3.1-40.el8_10 | RHSA-2026:56131 |
Show 12 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 10.0 EUS | pam +2 | 1.6.1-8.el10_0.1 | RHSA-2026:61229 |
| RHEL 9.6 EUS | pam +2 | 1.5.1-26.el9_6.1 | RHSA-2026:61230 |
| RHEL 9.4 E4S | pam +2 | 1.5.1-24.el9_4.2 | RHSA-2026:61228 |
| RHEL 9.2 E4S | pam +2 | 1.5.1-15.el9_2.3 | RHSA-2026:61226 |
| RHEL 8.8 TUS | pam +1 | 1.3.1-26.el8_8.3 | RHSA-2026:61225 |
| RHEL 8.8 E4S | pam +1 | 1.3.1-26.el8_8.3 | RHSA-2026:61225 |
| RHEL 8.6 EUS Long Life | pam +1 | 1.3.1-16.el8_6.4 | RHSA-2026:61223 |
| RHEL 8.6 AUS | pam +1 | 1.3.1-16.el8_6.4 | RHSA-2026:61223 |
| RHEL 8.4 EUS Long Life | pam +1 | 1.3.1-14.el8_4.3 | RHSA-2026:61224 |
| RHEL 8.4 AUS | pam +1 | 1.3.1-14.el8_4.3 | RHSA-2026:61224 |
| RHEL 7 ELS | pam +1 | 1.1.8-23.el7_9.3 | RHSA-2026:61227 |
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | pam +3 | 1.7.2-1.1.hum1 | RHSA-2026:35016, RHSA-2026:7553 |
AlmaLinux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux 10 | pam +2 | 1.6.1-9.el10_2.1 | ALSA-2026:59379 |
| AlmaLinux 9 | pam +2 | 1.5.1-28.el9_8.1 | ALSA-2026:64815 |
| AlmaLinux 8 | pam +1 | 1.3.1-40.el8_10 | ALSA-2026:56131 |
Rocky Linux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Linux 10 | pam | 1.6.1-9.el10_2.1 | RLSA-2026:59379 |
| Rocky Linux 9 | pam | 1.5.1-28.el9_8.1 | RLSA-2026:64815 |
| Rocky Linux 8 | pam | 1.3.1-40.el8_10 | RLSA-2026:56131 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP7 | pam | 1.3.0-150000.6.89.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3163-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | pam | 1.1.8-24.80.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3162-1 |
Show 8 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 16.0 | pam +1 | 1.7.1-160000.5.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:22639-1 |
| SLES 16.0 | pam +1 | 1.7.1-160000.5.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:22639-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.2 | pam +1 | 1.7.1-160000.5.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:22599-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.1 | pam | 1.6.1-slfo.1.1_5.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:22896-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.0 | pam | 1.6.0-6.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:22807-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | pam | 1.3.0-150000.6.89.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3163-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.4 | pam | 1.3.0-150000.6.89.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3163-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.3 | pam | 1.3.0-150000.6.89.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:3163-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | pam | 1.7.2+git12-2.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:11201-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | pam +1 | 1.7.1-160000.5.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:21320-1 |
Azure Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Linux 3 | pam | 1.5.3-5 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 10 | pam +2 | 1.6.1-9.el10_2.1 | ELSA-2026-59379 |
| Oracle Linux 8 | pam +1 | 1.3.1-40.0.1.el8_10 | ELSA-2026-56131 |
Advisories 33
- WID-SEC-2026-3595 IBM QRadar SIEM: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 2, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-2913 PAM: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Offenlegung von Informationen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Oct 29, 2026
- ALSA-2026:64815 Moderate: pam security update AlmaLinux Security Advisories · Oct 29, 2026
- ALSA-2026:59379 Moderate: pam security update AlmaLinux Security Advisories · Oct 29, 2026
- ALSA-2026:56131 Moderate: pam security update AlmaLinux Security Advisories · Oct 29, 2026
- RHSA-2026:7553 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:64815 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:61229 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:61230 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:61228 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:61226 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:61227 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:61224 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:61225 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:61223 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:60224 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:59379 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:56131 Red Hat Security Advisory: pam security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RHSA-2026:35016 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 14, 2026
- RLSA-2026:64815 Moderate: pam security update Rocky Linux Security Advisories · Sep 9, 2026
- RLSA-2026:59379 Moderate: pam security update Rocky Linux Security Advisories · Aug 26, 2026
- ELSA-2026-59379 Moderate: pam security update (Oracle Linux 10) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Aug 25, 2026
- RLSA-2026:56131 Moderate: pam security update Rocky Linux Security Advisories · Aug 19, 2026
- ELSA-2026-56131 Moderate: pam security update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Aug 18, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:22896-1 Security update for pam SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 28, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:22807-1 Security update for pam SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 28, 2026
- USN-8601-1 pam vulnerability Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Jul 24, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:3162-1 Security update for pam SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 22, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:3163-1 Security update for pam SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 22, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:22639-1 Security update for pam SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 17, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:22599-1 Security update for pam SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 16, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:21320-1 Security update for pam SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 15, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:11201-1 pam-1.7.2+git12-2.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 9, 2026
References
- Linux-PAM - upstream repository product
- Vulnerable plaintext-password comparison in pam_userdb.c (master) product
- pam_consttime_streq helper available for the remediation product
- CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy technical-description