telnetd in GNU Inetutils through 2.7 allows remote authentication bypass via a "-f root" value for the USER environment variable.
Attack Parameters
Attack Vector
Network
Can be exploited remotely
Attack Complexity
Low
Easy to exploit
Privileges Required
None
No privileges needed
User Interaction
None
No user interaction needed
Impact Assessment
Confidentiality
High
Complete data leak
Integrity
High
Complete data modification
Availability
High
Complete denial of service
CVSS Vector v3.1
Weakness Type (CWE)
Vulnerable Products 2
| Configuration | From (including) | Up to (excluding) |
|---|---|---|
|
Gnu Inetutils
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:inetutils:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
1.9.3
|
<= 2.7
|
|
Debian Debian_Linux
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
— | — |
References 14
https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/
cve@mitre.org
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/20/2
cve@mitre.org
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/20/8
cve@mitre.org
https://codeberg.org/inetutils/inetutils/commit/ccba9f748aa8d50a38d7748e2e60362…
cve@mitre.org
https://codeberg.org/inetutils/inetutils/commit/fd702c02497b2f398e739e3119bed0b…
cve@mitre.org
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-inetutils/2026-01/msg00004.html
cve@mitre.org
https://redteam.ae/blog/cve-2026-24061-inetutils-telnetd-root-bypass
cve@mitre.org
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2026-24061-detection-script-remote-a…
cve@mitre.org
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2026-24061-mitigation-script-remote-…
cve@mitre.org
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/22/1
af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/01/msg00025.html
af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026…
134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
https://www.labs.greynoise.io/grimoire/2026-01-22-f-around-and-find-out-18-hour…
134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/20/2#:~:text=root@...a%3A~%…
134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0