CVE-2026-6970
CVE-2026-6970 is a high-severity vulnerability with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 7.3. 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-842.
Key facts
- Severity: High (CVSS 4.0 base score 7.3)
- EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (2nd percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-25871
- Weakness: CWE-842
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
authd prior to version 0.6.4 contains a logic error in primary group ID assignment that can lead to local privilege escalation. When a user's primary group ID (GID) differs from their UID, either because the account was created with authd prior to version 0.5.4 or because the primary group was manually changed via the `authctl group set-gid` command, and the user's identity provider record is updated, authd incorrectly resets the user's primary group ID to their UID upon next login. This causes newly created files and directories to be owned by the wrong group, causing denial of service issues, and potentially granting unintended access to other local users and allowing local privilege escalation.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-6970?
- authd prior to version 0.6.4 contains a logic error in primary group ID assignment that can lead to local privilege escalation. When a user's primary group ID (GID) differs from their UID, either because the account was created with authd prior to version 0.5.4 or because the primary group was manually changed via the `authctl group set-gid` command, and the user's identity provider record is updated, authd incorrectly resets the user's primary group ID to their UID upon next login. This causes newly created files and directories to be owned by the wrong group, causing denial of service issues, and potentially granting unintended access to other local users and allowing local privilege escalation.
- How severe is CVE-2026-6970?
- CVE-2026-6970 has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 7.3, rated high severity.
- Is CVE-2026-6970 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (2nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-6970?
- 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-2026-6970 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
- Yes. CVE-2026-6970 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-25871.
- When was CVE-2026-6970 published?
- CVE-2026-6970 was published on 2026-04-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
- https://github.com/canonical/authd/commit/154b428305cb1a7a19c897626fefd09d6dde8b9f
- https://github.com/canonical/authd/security/advisories/GHSA-fg3j-5w9g-hmg7
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