CVE-2026-111218: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') in Netgate pfSense CE
Description
Netgate pfSense CE 2.7.0 through 2.9.0 contains an OS command injection vulnerability that allows authenticated users with Traffic Shaper Limiters privileges to execute root commands by tampering with the limiter number field. Attackers can submit a malicious hidden 'number' value when editing a limiter, then delete it so delete_queue() passes the unquoted value to dnctl via /bin/sh as root.
CVSS v4.0
Score 8.6high
Affected software
Netgate
pfSense CE
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AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-111218 is an OS command injection vulnerability in Netgate pfSense CE versions 2.7.0 through 2.9.0. Authenticated users with Traffic Shaper Limiters privileges can exploit this by tampering with the limiter number field during limiter editing. The attack involves submitting a malicious hidden 'number' value and then deleting it, causing the delete_queue() function to pass this unquoted value to the dnctl command executed via /bin/sh as root, resulting in arbitrary root command execution.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation allows an authenticated user with specific privileges to execute arbitrary commands as root on the pfSense CE system. This can lead to full system compromise, unauthorized control, and potential disruption of network services managed by pfSense CE.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict Traffic Shaper Limiters privileges to trusted administrators only and monitor for suspicious activity related to limiter configuration changes.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- VulnCheck
- Date Reserved
- 2026-10-15T18:21:18.816Z
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 6ad123bc2cdf04f65652b73c
Added to database: 10/15/2026, 19:04:28 UTC
Last enriched: 10/15/2026, 19:19:31 UTC
Last updated: 10/15/2026, 20:34:03 UTC
Views: 7
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