How severe is CVE-2026-44709?

CVE-2026-44709 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-44709 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (5th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2026-44709?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

Does CVE-2026-44709 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-44709 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-32661.

When was CVE-2026-44709 published?

CVE-2026-44709 was published on 2026-05-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2026-44709

CVE-2026-44709 is a high-severity vulnerability with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-78.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (5th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-32661
Weakness: CWE-78
Published: 2026-05-27
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. Prior to 0.8.7, pamusb-pinentry reads the PINENTRY_FALLBACK_APP environment variable and executes it directly without any validation. Any process that can set environment variables before pamusb-pinentry is invoked can point PINENTRY_FALLBACK_APP at an arbitrary binary or script and have it executed with the privileges of the pam_usb tool chain. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.8.7.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-44709?: pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. Prior to 0.8.7, pamusb-pinentry reads the PINENTRY_FALLBACK_APP environment variable and executes it directly without any validation. Any process that can set environment variables before pamusb-pinentry is invoked can point PINENTRY_FALLBACK_APP at an arbitrary binary or script and have it executed with the privileges of the pam_usb tool chain. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.8.7.
How severe is CVE-2026-44709?: CVE-2026-44709 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-44709 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (5th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-44709?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-44709 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-44709 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-32661.
When was CVE-2026-44709 published?: CVE-2026-44709 was published on 2026-05-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://github.com/mcdope/pam_usb/security/advisories/GHSA-jxrj-q67x-wr4c

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