CVE-2026-56117: Use After Free in NetworkConfiguration dhcpcd
dhcpcd through 10.3.2, fixed in commit 78ea09e, contains a heap use-after-free vulnerability in the control socket handling within src/control.c that allows local unprivileged attackers to trigger memory corruption when privilege separation is disabled. Attackers can connect to the control socket and send a privileged command such as -x, causing control_recvdata() to free the client object while the same READ+HANGUP event subsequently reaches control_hangup() with the stale pointer, resulting in a use-after-free condition exploitable in deployments using --disable-privsep or where privsep initialization has failed with the control socket operating in mode 0666.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
The dhcpcd daemon versions up to and including 10.3.2 contain a heap use-after-free vulnerability in src/control.c related to control socket handling. When privilege separation is disabled or fails, an attacker with local access can connect to the control socket and send privileged commands (e.g., -x). This triggers control_recvdata() to free the client object, but a subsequent READ+HANGUP event causes control_hangup() to access the now-freed client pointer, resulting in a use-after-free condition. This vulnerability can lead to memory corruption under these specific conditions. The issue is resolved in commit 78ea09e.
Potential Impact
Local unprivileged attackers can exploit this vulnerability to cause memory corruption in dhcpcd when privilege separation is disabled or not properly initialized. This may lead to instability or potential escalation scenarios depending on the deployment. The vulnerability does not affect configurations where privilege separation is enabled and functioning correctly.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix is available in the dhcpcd source code as of commit 78ea09e. Users should upgrade to a version including this commit or later. Until patched, ensure that privilege separation is enabled and properly initialized to mitigate the risk. No official vendor advisory or patch link is provided, so users should monitor the dhcpcd project for official releases containing this fix.
CVE-2026-56117: Use After Free in NetworkConfiguration dhcpcd
Description
dhcpcd through 10.3.2, fixed in commit 78ea09e, contains a heap use-after-free vulnerability in the control socket handling within src/control.c that allows local unprivileged attackers to trigger memory corruption when privilege separation is disabled. Attackers can connect to the control socket and send a privileged command such as -x, causing control_recvdata() to free the client object while the same READ+HANGUP event subsequently reaches control_hangup() with the stale pointer, resulting in a use-after-free condition exploitable in deployments using --disable-privsep or where privsep initialization has failed with the control socket operating in mode 0666.
CVSS v4.0
Score 5.7medium
Affected software
Run on your own infrastructure? Check whether these packages are installed with threat-finder — our free open-source scanner.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The dhcpcd daemon versions up to and including 10.3.2 contain a heap use-after-free vulnerability in src/control.c related to control socket handling. When privilege separation is disabled or fails, an attacker with local access can connect to the control socket and send privileged commands (e.g., -x). This triggers control_recvdata() to free the client object, but a subsequent READ+HANGUP event causes control_hangup() to access the now-freed client pointer, resulting in a use-after-free condition. This vulnerability can lead to memory corruption under these specific conditions. The issue is resolved in commit 78ea09e.
Potential Impact
Local unprivileged attackers can exploit this vulnerability to cause memory corruption in dhcpcd when privilege separation is disabled or not properly initialized. This may lead to instability or potential escalation scenarios depending on the deployment. The vulnerability does not affect configurations where privilege separation is enabled and functioning correctly.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix is available in the dhcpcd source code as of commit 78ea09e. Users should upgrade to a version including this commit or later. Until patched, ensure that privilege separation is enabled and properly initialized to mitigate the risk. No official vendor advisory or patch link is provided, so users should monitor the dhcpcd project for official releases containing this fix.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- VulnCheck
- Date Reserved
- 2026-06-18T19:15:10.651Z
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a3ab6dbeed863c81e4f9f6c
Added to database: 06/23/2026, 16:39:55 UTC
Last enriched: 07/30/2026, 00:46:43 UTC
Last updated: 08/06/2026, 12:41:11 UTC
Views: 59
Community Reviews
0 reviewsCrowdsource mitigation strategies, share intel context, and vote on the most helpful responses. Sign in to add your voice and help keep defenders ahead.
Want to contribute mitigation steps or threat intel context? Sign in or create an account to join the community discussion.
Actions
Updates to AI analysis require Pro Console access. Upgrade inside Console → Billing.
Need more coverage?
Upgrade to Pro Console for AI refresh and higher limits.
For incident response and remediation, OffSeq services can help resolve threats faster.
Latest Threats
Check if your credentials are on the dark web
Instant breach scanning across billions of leaked records. Free tier available.