CVE-2026-48986: mcdope pam_usb · Infinite Loop
Affects mcdope pam_usbSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 4.7 Medium : upgrade to 0.9.2 when convenient.
Data as of 31 Oct 2026, 08:20 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 3% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 0.9.2
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 18 Jun 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 30 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade mcdope pam_usb to 0.9.2.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| mcdopepam_usb | Affected
| Fixed in
|
GitHubmcdope/pam_usbpkg:github/mcdope/pam_usbOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
Upgrade pam_usb to version 0.9.2 or later, where this infinite loop issue is fixed. Patch status is not explicitly stated in the vendor advisory, but the fix is included in version 0.9.2. Until upgraded, be aware that authentication processes may hang under certain conditions.
Description
pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using removable media. In pam_usb 0.9.1 and earlier, usb_get_process_parent_id() can cause an infinite loop DoS because it does not initialize *ppid on failure. In pusb_local_login(), the same variable is reused as input and output in a process-tree while loop; if /proc/<pid>/stat cannot be read (for example, when an ancestor process exits during authentication), the PID is not updated and the loop does not terminate. This hangs the authenticating process (such as sudo, sshd, or login) until it is forcibly terminated. This issue has been fixed in version 0.9.2.