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CVE-2026-5398

HIGHCVSS 8.4/10EPSS 0.17%

Last modified

CVE-2026-5398 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 8.4/10 on the CVSS scale. The implementation of TIOCNOTTY failed to clear a back-pointer from the structure representing the controlling terminal to the calling process' session. If the invoking process then exits, the terminal structure may end up containing a pointer to freed memory. A malicious process can abuse the dangling pointer to grant itself root privileges.. EPSS estimates a 0.17% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

The implementation of TIOCNOTTY failed to clear a back-pointer from the structure representing the controlling terminal to the calling process' session. If the invoking process then exits, the terminal structure may end up containing a pointer to freed memory. A malicious process can abuse the dangling pointer to grant itself root privileges.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1
8.4/10

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

EPSS Probability
0.17%

6.1th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

VendorProductVersions
FreebsdFreebsd13.5
FreebsdFreebsd14.3
FreebsdFreebsd14.4
FreebsdFreebsd15.0

References

Timeline

Published
Last Modified
Status
Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-5398?
The implementation of TIOCNOTTY failed to clear a back-pointer from the structure representing the controlling terminal to the calling process' session. If the invoking process then exits, the terminal structure may end up containing a pointer to freed memory. A malicious process can abuse the dangling pointer to grant itself root privileges.
How severe is CVE-2026-5398?
CVE-2026-5398 has a CVSS score of 8.4/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.17% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-5398?
Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2026-5398?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

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Source: NVD / NIST