pam_usb: Thread-unsafe static pointer in log.c causes data race under concurrent PAM authentication
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Low · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. Prior to 0.9.1, src/log.c contains a process-wide static pointer that is written on every PAM invocation with the address of a stack-local variable. This violates the PAM re-entrancy requirement and creates a data race when the PAM stack is invoked concurrently from multiple threads. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.9.1.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA pam_usb (mcdope) Fixed in 0.9.1
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-48066
References
More mcdope vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-35505 pam_usb: PAM_RHOST check skipped when deny_remote=false allows XDMCP authentication bypass CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2026-32598 pam_usb: Symlink attacks on pad directory and pad files enable authentication bypass and root file corruption CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.9
- TI-2026-32596 pam_usb: PINENTRY_FALLBACK_APP environment variable allows arbitrary command execution CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2026-32600 pam_usb: Command injection via $TMUX environment variable leads to RCE as root CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-32599 pam_usb: Shell injection via device UUID and username in pamusb-conf and pamusb-agent CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.2
- TI-2026-34849 pam_usb: deny_remote feature incorrectly classifies IPv4-mapped IPv6 remote connections as local CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.4
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences