CVE-2026-24061

CRITICALNVD 9.89.8—
EchelonGraph scoreHIGH confidence

Score elevated to 9.8 because this CVE is listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2026-01-26), indicating real-world exploitation has been confirmed by US federal agencies. NVD baseline CVSS 9.8 retained for reference. Confidence: HIGH.

Triggered by: CISA KEV (actively exploited)
Sources: cisa_kev, epss, ghsa, nvd
Trending — 5 sources updated this weekExploited in the wild
9.8EG
EchelonGraph verdictPatch nowTreat as an emergency — this is being exploited.
  • Actively exploited in the wild (CISA-KEV)
CISA-KEV: ExploitedEPSS PROB: 98%CVSS: 9.8Exploit: cisa kev · ssvc active · Metasploit · epss top5pct · epss high · public exploitExposed: 0

A fix is available — apply it.

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

CVSS v3
9.8
EG Score
9.8(high)
EG Risk
99(Act)
EG Risk 99/100SSVC: Act

EG Risk is EchelonGraph's 0–100 priority score: it fuses intrinsic severity with real-world exploitation and automatability so you can rank equal-severity CVEs and fix the most dangerous first. Higher = act sooner. Distinct from the 0–10 EG Score (severity).

How it’s computed
Severity98% × 45%
Exploitation100% × 40%
Automatability100% × 15%
Action: Fix now — active exploitation, automatable, high impact.
EPSS PROB
98%
EPSS %ILE
100%
KEV
⚠ Exploited

Published

January 21, 2026

Last Modified

June 17, 2026

Advisory Details (10)

Auto-updated Sep 14, 2026
⚠️ Active exploitation confirmed. Patch available.
generic Patch Available

[SECURITY] [DLA 4453-1] inetutils security update

https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/01/msg00025.html
generic

oss-security - Re: GNU InetUtils Security Advisory: remote authentication by-pass in telnetd

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/22/1
generic🔴 Active Exploitation

CVE-2026-24061 Mitigation Script - Remote Authentication Bypass in GNU Inetutils Package - vsociety

https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2026-24061-mitigation-script-remote-authentication-bypass-in-gnu-inetutils-package
generic🔴 Active Exploitation

CVE-2026-24061 Detection Script - Remote Authentication Bypass in GNU Inetutils Package - vsociety

https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2026-24061-detection-script-remote-authentication-bypass-in-gnu-inetutils-package
generic

oss-security - Re: GNU InetUtils Security Advisory: remote authentication by-pass in telnetd

https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/20/8
generic

oss-security - GNU InetUtils Security Advisory: remote authentication by-pass in telnetd

https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/01/20/2
generic

Inetutils - Network utilities - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation

https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/
generic

GNU InetUtils Security Advisory: remote authentication by-pass in telnet

https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-inetutils/2026-01/msg00004.html
generic

Cookie monster!

https://codeberg.org/inetutils/inetutils/commit/fd702c02497b2f398e739e3119bed0b23dd7aa7b
generic

Cookie monster!

https://codeberg.org/inetutils/inetutils/commit/ccba9f748aa8d50a38d7748e2e60362edd6a32cc

Patch Availability(2)

Vendor / EcosystemFixed in / PatchReleasedSource
ubuntutelnetd (0.17+2.5-3ubuntu4.1) @ noble2026-09-19ubuntu
ubuntuinetutils-traceroute (2:1.9.4-1ubuntu0.1~esm5) @ xenial2026-09-19ubuntu

Patches are aggregated from vendor advisories (Red Hat, Microsoft, Cisco, GitHub) and package ecosystems (OSV, GHSA). Multiple rows for the same upstream release have been deduplicated.

Affected Packages

(4 across 4 ecosystems)
Debian:11(1)
PackageVulnerable rangeFixed inDependents
inetutils2:2.0-1, 2:2.0-1+deb11u1, 2:2.0-1+deb11u22:2.0-1+deb11u3—
Debian:12(1)
PackageVulnerable rangeFixed inDependents
inetutils2:2.4-2, 2:2.4-2+deb12u12:2.4-2+deb12u2—
Debian:13(1)
PackageVulnerable rangeFixed inDependents
inetutils2:2.6-32:2.6-3+deb13u1—
Debian:14(1)
PackageVulnerable rangeFixed inDependents
inetutils2:2.6-3, 2:2.6-4, 2:2.7-12:2.7-2—

Weakness Classification(1)

MITRE Common Weakness Enumeration — the root-cause categories this CVE belongs to.

All Vendor Advisories

(2)

Every vendor that published an advisory referencing this CVE — pulled from our cve_vendor_advisories aggregation. Click any row for the vendor's original advisory page.

Data Freshness Timeline

(refreshed 96× in last 7d / 384× in last 30d)

Each row is a source pipeline that fetched or updated this CVE on that date, with what changed. For example, "NVD update" means NVD published or revised its analysis for this CVE; "MITRE cvelistV5" means we ingested or refreshed it from the CNA feed. Most recent first.

Showing the most recent 100 of 1,369 total refreshes for this CVE.

  1. 2026-09-19 17:15 UTCVendor advisory
  2. 2026-09-19 17:15 UTCGHSA enrichment
  3. 2026-09-19 13:35 UTCVendor advisory
  4. 2026-09-19 13:35 UTCGHSA enrichment
  5. 2026-09-19 09:56 UTCVendor advisory
  6. 2026-09-19 09:56 UTCGHSA enrichment
  7. 2026-09-19 06:18 UTCVendor advisory
  8. 2026-09-19 06:18 UTCGHSA enrichment
  9. 2026-09-19 02:38 UTCVendor advisory
  10. 2026-09-19 02:38 UTCGHSA enrichment
  11. 2026-09-18 22:58 UTCEG score recompute
  12. 2026-09-18 22:58 UTCVendor advisory
  13. 2026-09-18 22:58 UTCGHSA enrichment
  14. 2026-09-18 19:27 UTCEPSS rescore
  15. 2026-09-18 19:20 UTCCISA KEV update
  16. 2026-09-18 19:19 UTCVendor advisory
  17. 2026-09-18 19:19 UTCGHSA enrichment
  18. 2026-09-18 15:39 UTCGHSA enrichment
  19. 2026-09-18 14:15 UTCCISA KEV update
  20. 2026-09-18 11:58 UTCVendor advisory
  21. 2026-09-18 11:58 UTCGHSA enrichment
  22. 2026-09-18 08:18 UTCVendor advisory
  23. 2026-09-18 08:18 UTCGHSA enrichment
  24. 2026-09-18 04:39 UTCVendor advisory
  25. 2026-09-18 04:39 UTCGHSA enrichment
Show 75 more
  1. 2026-09-18 01:00 UTCVendor advisory
  2. 2026-09-18 01:00 UTCGHSA enrichment
  3. 2026-09-17 21:21 UTCVendor advisory
  4. 2026-09-17 21:21 UTCGHSA enrichment
  5. 2026-09-17 17:42 UTCVendor advisory
  6. 2026-09-17 17:42 UTCGHSA enrichment
  7. 2026-09-17 14:03 UTCVendor advisory
  8. 2026-09-17 14:03 UTCGHSA enrichment
  9. 2026-09-17 10:24 UTCVendor advisory
  10. 2026-09-17 10:24 UTCGHSA enrichment
  11. 2026-09-17 06:45 UTCVendor advisory
  12. 2026-09-17 06:45 UTCGHSA enrichment
  13. 2026-09-17 03:05 UTCVendor advisory
  14. 2026-09-17 03:05 UTCGHSA enrichment
  15. 2026-09-16 23:25 UTCVendor advisory
  16. 2026-09-16 23:25 UTCGHSA enrichment
  17. 2026-09-16 19:46 UTCVendor advisory
  18. 2026-09-16 19:46 UTCGHSA enrichment
  19. 2026-09-16 16:07 UTCVendor advisory
  20. 2026-09-16 16:07 UTCGHSA enrichment
  21. 2026-09-16 14:10 UTCCISA KEV update
  22. 2026-09-16 12:29 UTCVendor advisory
  23. 2026-09-16 12:28 UTCGHSA enrichment
  24. 2026-09-16 08:50 UTCVendor advisory
  25. 2026-09-16 08:50 UTCGHSA enrichment
  26. 2026-09-16 05:10 UTCVendor advisory
  27. 2026-09-16 05:10 UTCGHSA enrichment
  28. 2026-09-16 01:31 UTCVendor advisory
  29. 2026-09-16 01:31 UTCGHSA enrichment
  30. 2026-09-15 21:51 UTCVendor advisory
  31. 2026-09-15 21:51 UTCGHSA enrichment
  32. 2026-09-15 18:12 UTCVendor advisory
  33. 2026-09-15 18:12 UTCGHSA enrichment
  34. 2026-09-15 14:33 UTCVendor advisory
  35. 2026-09-15 14:33 UTCGHSA enrichment
  36. 2026-09-15 10:54 UTCGHSA enrichment
  37. 2026-09-15 07:14 UTCVendor advisory
  38. 2026-09-15 07:14 UTCGHSA enrichment
  39. 2026-09-15 03:34 UTCVendor advisory
  40. 2026-09-15 03:34 UTCGHSA enrichment
  41. 2026-09-14 23:55 UTCVendor advisory
  42. 2026-09-14 23:55 UTCGHSA enrichment
  43. 2026-09-14 20:16 UTCVendor advisory
  44. 2026-09-14 20:16 UTCGHSA enrichment
  45. 2026-09-14 19:24 UTCCISA KEV update
  46. 2026-09-14 16:37 UTCVendor advisory
  47. 2026-09-14 16:37 UTCGHSA enrichment
  48. 2026-09-14 12:58 UTCVendor advisory
  49. 2026-09-14 12:58 UTCGHSA enrichment
  50. 2026-09-14 09:19 UTCVendor advisory
  51. 2026-09-14 09:19 UTCGHSA enrichment
  52. 2026-09-14 05:40 UTCVendor advisory
  53. 2026-09-14 05:40 UTCGHSA enrichment
  54. 2026-09-14 02:01 UTCVendor advisory
  55. 2026-09-14 02:01 UTCGHSA enrichment
  56. 2026-09-13 22:22 UTCVendor advisory
  57. 2026-09-13 22:22 UTCGHSA enrichment
  58. 2026-09-13 18:43 UTCVendor advisory
  59. 2026-09-13 18:43 UTCGHSA enrichment
  60. 2026-09-13 15:04 UTCVendor advisory
  61. 2026-09-13 15:04 UTCGHSA enrichment
  62. 2026-09-13 11:25 UTCVendor advisory
  63. 2026-09-13 11:25 UTCGHSA enrichment
  64. 2026-09-13 07:45 UTCVendor advisory
  65. 2026-09-13 07:45 UTCGHSA enrichment
  66. 2026-09-13 04:07 UTCVendor advisory
  67. 2026-09-13 04:07 UTCGHSA enrichment
  68. 2026-09-13 00:28 UTCVendor advisory
  69. 2026-09-13 00:28 UTCGHSA enrichment
  70. 2026-09-12 20:49 UTCVendor advisory
  71. 2026-09-12 20:49 UTCGHSA enrichment
  72. 2026-09-12 17:10 UTCVendor advisory
  73. 2026-09-12 17:10 UTCGHSA enrichment
  74. 2026-09-12 13:31 UTCVendor advisory
  75. 2026-09-12 13:31 UTCGHSA enrichment

Publicly available exploits

(10 references)

Working exploit code is in the public domain (1 Metasploit module) (8 GitHub PoCs) (1 Exploit-DB entry). Defenders should treat patch urgency accordingly — public PoCs typically lead to mass-exploitation within 24-72 hours.

  • GitHub PoCtc4dy/CVE-2026-24061-PoC-Exploit
    First seen Jun 6, 2026

    🚀 CVE-2026-24061 - GNU inetutils-telnetd Auth Bypass Exploit - Full Control 💥 CRLF injection via NEW_ENVIRON leads to auth bypass & instant root shell. ✅ Single/Mass exploitation, multi-threading, custom port/user, pipe mode, session keep-alive, colored output, retries, timeout support. ⚡ Python & Bash versions. Critical CVSS 9.8.

    Open source ↗
  • Exploit-DBEDB-52524
    First seen Apr 29, 2026

    GNU InetUtils 2.6 - Telnetd Remote Privilege Escalation

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCekomsSavior/telnet_scan
    First seen Mar 26, 2026

    scanner/exploiter CVE-2026-24061 & CVE-2026-32746

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCjacubes/CVE-2026-24061
    First seen Mar 8, 2026

    CVE-2026-24061 exploit PoC

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCobrunolima1910/CVE-2026-24061
    First seen Feb 3, 2026

    🚨 Exploit CVE-2026-24061, a critical remote authentication bypass in GNU inetutils-telnetd, for instant root shell access without authentication.

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCLingzesec/CVE-2026-24061-GUI
    First seen Jan 26, 2026

    CVE-2026-24061 GNU Inetutils telnetd 身份验证绕过漏洞检测与利用 GUI 工具

    Open source ↗
  • Metasploitexploit/linux/telnet/gnu_inetutils_auth_bypass✓ verified
    First seen Jan 26, 2026

    GNU Inetutils Telnet Authentication Bypass Exploit CVE-2026-24061

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoC0p5cur/CVE-2026-24061-POC
    First seen Jan 24, 2026

    CVE-2026-24061's poc : a critical authentication bypass in telnetd leading to RCE as root Affects systems with telnetd versions containing the vulnerability from 2015 onwards.

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCsh4den/CVE-2026-24061
    First seen Jan 23, 2026

    Proof of Concept: CVE-2026-24061 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in GNU inetutils-telnetd allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to gain instant root shell access via malicious NEW_ENVIRON telnet option exploitation.

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCSystemVll/CVE-2026-24061
    First seen Jan 23, 2026

    Proof of Concept: CVE-2026-24061 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in GNU inetutils-telnetd allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to gain instant root shell access via malicious NEW_ENVIRON telnet option exploitation.

    Open source ↗

Frequently asked(6)

What is CVE-2026-24061?
CVE-2026-24061 is a critical vulnerability published on January 21, 2026. telnetd in GNU Inetutils through 2.7 allows remote authentication bypass via a "-f root" value for the USER environment variable.
When was CVE-2026-24061 disclosed?
CVE-2026-24061 was first published in the National Vulnerability Database on January 21, 2026, with the most recent update on June 17, 2026. EchelonGraph re-ingests CVE updates from NVD on a 2-hour cycle, so this page reflects the latest published state.
Is CVE-2026-24061 actively exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2026-24061 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on January 26, 2026, affecting GNU InetUtils. KEV listing indicates confirmed exploitation in the wild; this CVE warrants immediate patching attention.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-24061?
CVE-2026-24061 has a CVSS v3 base score of 9.8 (NVD).
Which products are affected by CVE-2026-24061?
CVE-2026-24061 affects GNU InetUtils. The full affected-products list, including version ranges and fixed versions, is shown in the Affected Packages section of this page.
How do I remediate CVE-2026-24061?
Patch to the fixed version published by the affected vendor. Where vendor advisories exist for CVE-2026-24061, EchelonGraph cross-links them in the Vendor Advisories panel below — those typically contain the canonical remediation steps, fixed version numbers, and any vendor-specific mitigations.

Dependency Blast Radius

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