`openvt -u` is intended to identify the owner of the current VT and then execute `login` as that user from a privileged context. In the documented `kbrequest`/init usage, the ownership test in `authenticate_user()` relies on `stat("/proc/<pid>/fd/0")`. `stat()` on `/proc/<pid>/fd/0` follows the symlink to the underlying TTY device node. As a result, `buf.st_uid` reflects the owner of the TTY node rather than the owner of the process holding the file descriptor. If the TTY owner returns to `root` or the getty owner after logout while an unprivileged process still has `fd 0` attached to that TTY, the check can incorrectly treat that process as belonging to the privileged console owner. Once that check succeeds, the `-u` path executes a passwordless login as the selected user. In the documented `kbrequest`/init deployment using `openvt -us`, this can result in passwordless `login -f root` on the spawned VT. This report establishes that privilege escalation path for that documented deployment; it does not claim equivalent reachability for deployments that do not use `openvt -u` from a privileged `kbrequest`/init path.

Project Subscriptions

Vendors Products
Enterprise Linux Subscribe
Hardened Images Subscribe
Hummingbird Subscribe
Openshift Subscribe
Openshift Container Platform Subscribe
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

To mitigate this issue, avoid using `openvt -u` in privileged `kbrequest`/init deployments. Instead, configure the keyboard request to initiate a standard authenticated login on the new virtual terminal, or disable the keyboard request binding entirely until a fix is available. Changes to `kbrequest` configurations may require a system restart or service reload to take effect.

History

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat hardened Images
Redhat openshift Container Platform
Vendors & Products Redhat hardened Images
Redhat openshift Container Platform

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

threat_severity

Moderate


Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description `openvt -u` is intended to identify the owner of the current VT and then execute `login` as that user from a privileged context. In the documented `kbrequest`/init usage, the ownership test in `authenticate_user()` relies on `stat("/proc/<pid>/fd/0")`. `stat()` on `/proc/<pid>/fd/0` follows the symlink to the underlying TTY device node. As a result, `buf.st_uid` reflects the owner of the TTY node rather than the owner of the process holding the file descriptor. If the TTY owner returns to `root` or the getty owner after logout while an unprivileged process still has `fd 0` attached to that TTY, the check can incorrectly treat that process as belonging to the privileged console owner. Once that check succeeds, the `-u` path executes a passwordless login as the selected user. In the documented `kbrequest`/init deployment using `openvt -us`, this can result in passwordless `login -f root` on the spawned VT. This report establishes that privilege escalation path for that documented deployment; it does not claim equivalent reachability for deployments that do not use `openvt -u` from a privileged `kbrequest`/init path.
Title Kbd: local privilege escalation in openvt via incorrect process owner verification allowing passwordless root login
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Redhat hummingbird
Redhat openshift
Weaknesses CWE-284
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:hummingbird:1
cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:10
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Redhat hummingbird
Redhat openshift
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}


Projects

Sign in to view the affected projects.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: redhat

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-11T17:51:17.406Z

Reserved: 2026-08-10T12:35:16.746Z

Link: CVE-2026-72693

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-11T09:17:14.340

Modified: 2026-08-11T09:17:14.340

Link: CVE-2026-72693

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-08-11T06:58:59Z

Links: CVE-2026-72693 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-11T14:19:51Z

Weaknesses