# CVE-2026-24061

## Summary

- **CVE ID:** CVE-2026-24061
- **Severity:** CRITICAL
- **CVSS Score:** 9.8 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)
- **CWE:** CWE-88
- **Published:** Jan 21, 2026
- **Last Modified:** Mar 25, 2026

## Description

telnetd in GNU Inetutils through 2.7 allows remote authentication bypass via a "-f root" value for the USER environment variable.

## Affected Products

- GNU — Inetutils (1.9.3)

## References

- [CNA](https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/20/2)
- [CNA](https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/20/8)
- [CNA](https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/)
- [CNA](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-inetutils/2026-01/msg00004.html)
- [CNA](https://codeberg.org/inetutils/inetutils/commit/fd702c02497b2f398e739e3119bed0b23dd7aa7b)
- [CNA](https://codeberg.org/inetutils/inetutils/commit/ccba9f748aa8d50a38d7748e2e60362edd6a32cc)
- [CNA](https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2026-24061-detection-script-remote-authentication-bypass-in-gnu-inetutils-package)
- [CNA](https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2026-24061-mitigation-script-remote-authentication-bypass-in-gnu-inetutils-package)
- [CISA-ADP](https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/20/2#:~:text=root@...a%3A~%20USER=')
- [CISA-ADP](https://www.labs.greynoise.io/grimoire/2026-01-22-f-around-and-find-out-18-hours-of-unsolicited-houseguests/index.html)
- [CISA-ADP](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-24061)
- [CVE](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/22/1)
- [CVE](https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/01/msg00025.html)

## Exploitation Prediction (EPSS)

- **EPSS Score:** 97.88%
- **EPSS Percentile:** 99.9

## Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV)

- **Date Added:** Jan 26, 2026
- **Due Date:** Feb 16, 2026

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_Exported from OnDuty AI Vulnerability Intelligence on 2026-09-10._