CVSS v3
7.5
HIGH
EPSS Score
1.1 %
exploit probability, as of 2026-09-25
CISA KEV
No
known exploited
Exploitation
—
SSVC status
Description
A flaw was found in dracut. A remote attacker on the adjacent network can exploit this vulnerability by providing specially crafted DHCP options, such as a malicious root-path, next-server, or bootfile name, to a system using dracut's NetworkManager-based initrd network module. These options are improperly handled and written into a temporary shell script without proper escaping, leading to command injection. This allows the attacker to achieve root code execution within the initramfs during sys
Technical details
- Published
- 2026-07-21
- Last Modified
- 2026-07-22
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2026-16445?
A flaw was found in dracut. A remote attacker on the adjacent network can exploit this vulnerability by providing specially crafted DHCP options, such as a malicious root-path, next-server, or bootfile name, to a system using dracut's NetworkManager-based initrd network module. These options are improperly handled and written into a temporary shell script without proper escaping, leading to command injection. This allows the attacker to achieve root code execution within the initramfs during sys
Is CVE-2026-16445 actively exploited?
Active exploitation of CVE-2026-16445 has not been confirmed. Its EPSS score was 1.1% on 2026-09-25, the estimated probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-16445?
CVE-2026-16445 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.5 (HIGH severity).
Is CVE-2026-16445 affecting your environment?
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