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Vulnerability record · CVE-2026-61897 · published 20 August 2026

CVE-2026-61897: An Ubuntu-specific patch to AccountsService before 23.13.9-8ubuntu7 only partially drops privileges before lau…

An Ubuntu-specific patch to AccountsService before 23.13.9-8ubuntu7 only partially drops privileges before launching language helper scripts. It changes the effective UID/GID to the target user but leaves the real UID as 0 (root). A shell spawned by a helper script inherits ruid=0 and may reset its effective UID to root, enabling local privilege escalation.

7.8 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 0.14% · top 97.2% CWE-273 · CWE-273 Awaiting Analysis
7.8CVSS 3.1 base score
0.14%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
0Affected product versions listed by NVD
2References
28 Aug 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

An Ubuntu-specific patch to AccountsService before 23.13.9-8ubuntu7 only partially drops privileges before launching language helper scripts. It changes the effective UID/GID to the target user but leaves the real UID as 0 (root). A shell spawned by a helper script inherits ruid=0 and may reset its effective UID to root, enabling local privilege escalation.

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

References

LinkTags
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/accountsservice/+bug/2157985
https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-61897

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Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2026-61897), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.