CVE-2026-91838
Networkmanager-sstp: networkmanager-sstp: local privilege escalation to root via shell injection in vpn profile fields
A flaw was found in NetworkManager-sstp, the SSTP VPN plugin for NetworkManager. A local unprivileged user can exploit this vulnerability by embedding special characters, known as shell metacharacters, into VPN connection profile fields such as CA certificate or proxy settings. These unescaped characters are then processed by the pppd daemon, which runs with root privileges, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated permissions when a malicious VPN connection is activated.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.8
Networkmanager-sstp: networkmanager-sstp: local privilege escalation to root via shell injection in vpn profile fields
A flaw was found in NetworkManager-sstp, the SSTP VPN plugin for NetworkManager. A local unprivileged user can exploit this vulnerability by embedding special characters, known as shell metacharacters, into VPN connection profile fields such as CA certificate or proxy settings. These unescaped characters are then processed by the pppd daemon, which runs with root privileges, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated permissions when a malicious VPN connection is activated.
- Record
CVE-2026-91838- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-87248
7.8
A flaw was found in NetworkManager-sstp, the SSTP VPN plugin for NetworkManager. A local unprivileged user can exploit this vulnerability by embedding special characters, known as shell metacharacters, into VPN connection profile fields such as CA certificate or proxy settings. These unescaped characters are then processed by the pppd daemon, which runs with root privileges, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated permissions when a malicious VPN connection is activated.
- Record
EUVD-2026-87248- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-94qh-3pf4-8c4r
7.8
A flaw was found in NetworkManager-sstp, the SSTP VPN plugin for NetworkManager. A local...
A flaw was found in NetworkManager-sstp, the SSTP VPN plugin for NetworkManager. A local unprivileged user can exploit this vulnerability by embedding special characters, known as shell metacharacters, into VPN connection profile fields such as CA certificate or proxy settings. These unescaped characters are then processed by the pppd daemon, which runs with root privileges, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated permissions when a malicious VPN connection is activated.
- Record
GHSA-94qh-3pf4-8c4r- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
7.8
A flaw was found in NetworkManager-sstp, the SSTP VPN plugin for NetworkManager. A local unprivileged user can exploit this vulnerability by embedding special characters, known as shell metacharacters, into VPN connection profile fields such as CA certificate or proxy settings. These unescaped characters are then processed by the pppd daemon, which runs with root privileges, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated permissions when a malicious VPN connection is activated.
- Record
CVE-2026-91838- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2026-91838
7.8
A flaw was found in NetworkManager-sstp, the SSTP VPN plugin for NetworkManager. A local unprivileged user can exploit this vulnerability by embedding special characters, known as shell metacharacters, into VPN connection profile fields such as CA certificate or proxy settings. These unescaped characters are then processed by the pppd daemon, which runs with root privileges, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated permissions when a malicious VPN connection is activated.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-91838- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-91838
7.8
A flaw was found in NetworkManager-sstp, the SSTP VPN plugin for NetworkManager. A local unprivileged user can exploit this vulnerability by embedding special characters, known as shell metacharacters, into VPN connection profile fields such as CA certificate or proxy settings. These unescaped characters are then processed by the pppd daemon, which runs with root privileges, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated permissions when a malicious VPN connection is activated.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-91838- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
network-manager-sstpDebian:12 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.3.0-21.3.1-11.3.1-21.3.2-1 |
None known |
network-manager-sstpDebian:13 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.3.2-1 |
None known |
network-manager-sstpUbuntu:22.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.3.0-0ubuntu1 |
None known |
network-manager-sstpUbuntu:24.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.3.1-11.3.1-21.3.2-11.3.2-1build11.3.2-1build2 |
None known |
network-manager-sstpUbuntu:26.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.3.2-1build6 |
None known |
network-manager-sstpUbuntu:26.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.3.2-1build51.3.2-1build6 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-91838 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Gnome Networkmanager-sstp, published September 25, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.10%, the 0th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-91838
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2533637
gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/network-manager-sstp/-/work_items/67
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-91838
github.com/advisories/GHSA-94qh-3pf4-8c4r
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-91838
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-91838
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-91838
blogs.gnome.org/mcatanzaro/2026/09/15/privilege-escalation-vulnerabilities-in-networkmanager-plugins