Crontab injection in Netgate pfSense CE allows root command execution
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
Netgate pfSense CE through 2.9.0 contains a crontab injection flaw (CWE-93) in interfaces_ppps_edit.php. Newlines in the ptpid or reset hour and minute fields are written unescaped into /etc/crontab. An authenticated user holding the privilege to edit PPP interfaces can run arbitrary commands as root on a schedule. A public exploit is linked in the references.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Description from the CNA
pfSense CE through 2.9.0 contains a crontab injection vulnerability in interfaces_ppps_edit.php that allows authenticated users to execute commands as root by injecting newlines into the ptpid or reset hour/minute fields. Attackers holding the 'WebCfg - Interfaces: PPPs: Edit' privilege can submit crafted POST values that configure_cron() writes unescaped into /etc/crontab, running arbitrary root commands on schedule.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for pfSense CE.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Timeline
- 2026-10-16 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-111220
References
Other 4
- https://abraxaslabs.tech/research/pfsense-ce-leftovers
- https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc#L2174-L2214
- https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9/src/usr/local/www/interfaces_ppps_edit.php#L271-L278
- https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9/src/etc/inc/services.inc#L5652-L5660
More Netgate vulnerabilities
- TI-2022-13704 pfSense pfBlockerNG through 2.1.4_26 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary OS… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2023-12003 A command injection vulnerability in the function restore_rrddata() of Netgate pfSense… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2024-31010 A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in pfsense v2.5.2 allows attackers to execute… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.3
- TI-2023-11923 Improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts in the SSHGuard component of… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2023-26046 An issue in Netgate pfSense Plus v.23.05.1 and before and pfSense CE v.2.7.0 allows a… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2023-22567 An issue in Netgate pfSense v.2.7.0 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences