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CVE-2026-96512

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 0.32%

Last modified

CVE-2026-96512 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. A flaw was found in sudo. When sudoers rules use NOTBEFORE or NOTAFTER time-based access restrictions with timestamps that omit the trailing 'Z' timezone indicator, the time evaluation relies on the TZ environment variable inherited from the calling user. EPSS estimates a 0.32% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

A flaw was found in sudo. When sudoers rules use NOTBEFORE or NOTAFTER time-based access restrictions with timestamps that omit the trailing 'Z' timezone indicator, the time evaluation relies on the TZ environment variable inherited from the calling user. Because sudo is a setuid-root program, an unprivileged local user can set TZ to an extreme timezone offset to shift the authorization window by up to approximately 25 hours, causing expired rules to be treated as valid. This allows the user to execute commands outside the intended time window. Authentication is not bypassed; only the time-based authorization check is affected.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1
7.8/10

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

EPSS Probability
0.32%

25.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Source: CNA advisory (CVE.org). NVD analysis pending.

VendorProductVersions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10All versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update SupportAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle SupportAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8All versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update SupportAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-OnAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update SupportAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-OnAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update ServiceAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP SolutionsAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9All versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Update Services for SAP SolutionsAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Update Services for SAP SolutionsAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 Extended Update SupportAll versions
Red HatRed Hat Hardened ImagesAll versions
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift AI 3.0All versions
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift AI 3.4All versions
Red HatRed Hat Update Infrastructure 5All versions

References

Timeline

Published
Last Modified
Status
Awaiting Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-96512?
A flaw was found in sudo. When sudoers rules use NOTBEFORE or NOTAFTER time-based access restrictions with timestamps that omit the trailing 'Z' timezone indicator, the time evaluation relies on the TZ environment variable inherited from the calling user. Because sudo is a setuid-root program, an unprivileged local user can set TZ to an extreme timezone offset to shift the authorization window by up to approximately 25 hours, causing expired rules to be treated as valid. This allows the user to execute commands outside the intended time window. Authentication is not bypassed; only the time-based authorization check is affected.
How severe is CVE-2026-96512?
CVE-2026-96512 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.32% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-96512?
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.

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Source: NVD / NIST