CVE-2026-16445: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
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.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
The vulnerability exists in dracut's NetworkManager-based initrd network module where DHCP options such as root-path, next-server, or bootfile name are not properly escaped before being written into a temporary shell script. This improper neutralization of special elements leads to OS command injection, enabling an adjacent network attacker to execute arbitrary code as root during the early boot process (initramfs). The flaw affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 versions >=8.0.0 and <8.10.244. Red Hat has published advisories and released updated dracut packages to remediate this issue.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation allows an attacker on the adjacent network to achieve root-level code execution during system boot within the initramfs environment. This compromises system integrity and could lead to full system compromise. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5 (High), reflecting the complexity of attack (high attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction) and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (all high).
Mitigation Recommendations
Red Hat has released security updates for dracut in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 to fix this vulnerability. Users should apply the updated packages as described in the Red Hat advisories RHSA-2026:26534 and RHSA-2026:40700. Detailed update instructions are available at https://access.redhat.com/articles/11258. No alternative mitigations are indicated; applying the official patches is the recommended remediation.
CVE-2026-16445: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
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.
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.5high
Affected software
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AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The vulnerability exists in dracut's NetworkManager-based initrd network module where DHCP options such as root-path, next-server, or bootfile name are not properly escaped before being written into a temporary shell script. This improper neutralization of special elements leads to OS command injection, enabling an adjacent network attacker to execute arbitrary code as root during the early boot process (initramfs). The flaw affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 versions >=8.0.0 and <8.10.244. Red Hat has published advisories and released updated dracut packages to remediate this issue.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation allows an attacker on the adjacent network to achieve root-level code execution during system boot within the initramfs environment. This compromises system integrity and could lead to full system compromise. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5 (High), reflecting the complexity of attack (high attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction) and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (all high).
Mitigation Recommendations
Red Hat has released security updates for dracut in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 to fix this vulnerability. Users should apply the updated packages as described in the Red Hat advisories RHSA-2026:26534 and RHSA-2026:40700. Detailed update instructions are available at https://access.redhat.com/articles/11258. No alternative mitigations are indicated; applying the official patches is the recommended remediation.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- redhat
- Date Reserved
- 2026-07-21T08:23:53.560Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
- Vendor Advisory Urls
- [{"url":"https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:26534","vendor":"Red Hat"},{"url":"https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-16445","vendor":"Red Hat"}]
Threat ID: 6a5f703f2a4a8d59892bbe49
Added to database: 07/21/2026, 13:12:31 UTC
Last enriched: 07/30/2026, 09:38:26 UTC
Last updated: 09/04/2026, 11:02:16 UTC
Views: 80
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