CVE-2026-28296 is a vulnerability identified in the FTP GVfs backend component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. The flaw arises from improper input validation that fails to neutralize carriage return and line feed (CRLF) sequences embedded within file path inputs. An attacker can exploit this by remotely sending specially crafted file paths containing these CRLF sequences, which effectively terminate the intended FTP commands prematurely and inject arbitrary FTP commands. This injection can manipulate the FTP session, potentially leading to unauthorized command execution or other severe consequences depending on the context. The vulnerability does not require any privileges to exploit but does require user interaction, such as triggering the GVfs FTP backend to process the malicious path. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, reflecting a medium severity level, primarily due to its limited confidentiality impact and the need for user interaction. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input sanitization in network-facing components, especially those handling protocol commands. Since GVfs is a virtual filesystem abstraction used in Linux environments to access remote filesystems, this vulnerability could be leveraged in scenarios where users access FTP servers via GVfs, potentially affecting desktop or server environments running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.

The primary impact of CVE-2026-28296 is the potential for attackers to inject arbitrary FTP commands remotely, which could lead to unauthorized disclosure of information or manipulation of FTP sessions. Although the CVSS score indicates a medium severity with limited confidentiality impact and no direct integrity or availability compromise, the injected commands could be used as a foothold for further attacks or to disrupt normal FTP operations. Organizations relying on GVfs FTP backend for accessing FTP servers may experience data leakage or session manipulation. The requirement for user interaction limits large-scale automated exploitation, but targeted attacks against users or systems that frequently interact with FTP servers via GVfs are plausible. The vulnerability could also be chained with other vulnerabilities to escalate impact, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation in worst-case scenarios. Overall, the threat is significant for environments where FTP access via GVfs is common, especially in enterprise Linux deployments.

To mitigate CVE-2026-28296, organizations should: 1) Apply official patches or updates from Red Hat as soon as they become available to address the input validation flaw in the GVfs FTP backend. 2) Restrict or disable GVfs FTP backend usage where possible, especially in environments that do not require FTP access or where safer protocols (e.g., SFTP, FTPS) can be used instead. 3) Implement network-level controls to monitor and filter suspicious FTP traffic, focusing on anomalous command sequences that may indicate CRLF injection attempts. 4) Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted FTP servers or files, reducing the likelihood of triggering the vulnerability via user interaction. 5) Employ application-layer firewalls or intrusion detection systems capable of detecting and blocking FTP command injection patterns. 6) Conduct regular security assessments and code reviews of custom or third-party integrations that utilize GVfs or FTP backends to ensure proper input sanitization. 7) Monitor logs for unusual FTP command sequences or errors that could indicate exploitation attempts. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on reducing attack surface, improving detection, and enforcing safer protocol usage.