CVE-2026-48984
pam_usb: xfree() does not call explicit_bzero — sensitive cryptographic material may linger in freed heap
Description
pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. In versions 0.9.1 and below, the xfree() memory release helper in calls free() without first zeroing the buffer contents, releasing heap-allocated buffers containing sensitive data — including one-time pad bytes read from disk — without clearing, leaving the sensitive content in freed heap memory until it happens to be overwritten by a subsequent allocation. On a system where a use-after-free condition exists, or where a heap inspection primitive becomes available, this could allow recovery of pad values or other authentication material from freed memory regions. This is a defence-in-depth requirement consistent with prior hardening work in this codebase (GHSA-vx6f-rrqr-j87c applied explicit_bzero to some pad paths; this issue generalises the pattern to the central deallocation helper).
INFO
Published Date :
June 18, 2026, 6:16 p.m.
Last Modified :
Oct. 26, 2026, 11:10 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
[email protected]
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | MITRE-CVE | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | [email protected] |
Solution
- Update pam_usb to a patched version.
- Clear sensitive data from heap memory.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-48984.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/mcdope/pam_usb/releases/tag/0.9.2 | |
| https://github.com/mcdope/pam_usb/security/advisories/GHSA-rmp6-wfrq-wrrc |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-48984 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-48984
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-48984 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-48984 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
CVE Translated by [email protected]
Oct. 26, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Translation Title: pam_usb de mcdope, Description: pam_usb proporciona autenticación de hardware para Linux utilizando medios extraíbles ordinarios. En las versiones 0.9.1 e inferiores, el asistente de liberación de memoria xfree() llama a free() sin primero poner a cero el contenido del búfer, liberando búferes asignados en el heap que contienen datos sensibles - incluyendo bytes de ’one-time pad’ leídos del disco - sin limpiar, dejando el contenido sensible en la memoria del heap liberada hasta que sea sobrescrito por una asignación posterior. En un sistema donde existe una condición de uso después de liberación, o donde un primitivo de inspección del heap esté disponible, esto podría permitir la recuperación de valores de ’pad’ u otro material de autenticación de regiones de memoria liberadas. Este es un requisito de defensa en profundidad consistente con el trabajo de endurecimiento previo en esta base de código (GHSA-vx6f-rrqr-j87c aplicó explicit_bzero a algunas rutas de ’pad’; este problema generaliza el patrón al asistente de desasignación central). -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Jun. 18, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-48984', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'partial'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-06-18T18:47:42.610995Z'} -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Jun. 18, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'mcdope', 'product': 'pam_usb', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '< 0.9.2'}]}] Added Description pam_usb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. In versions 0.9.1 and below, the xfree() memory release helper in calls free() without first zeroing the buffer contents, releasing heap-allocated buffers containing sensitive data — including one-time pad bytes read from disk — without clearing, leaving the sensitive content in freed heap memory until it happens to be overwritten by a subsequent allocation. On a system where a use-after-free condition exists, or where a heap inspection primitive becomes available, this could allow recovery of pad values or other authentication material from freed memory regions. This is a defence-in-depth requirement consistent with prior hardening work in this codebase (GHSA-vx6f-rrqr-j87c applied explicit_bzero to some pad paths; this issue generalises the pattern to the central deallocation helper). Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N Added CWE CWE-14 Added CWE CWE-226 Added Reference https://github.com/mcdope/pam_usb/releases/tag/0.9.2 Added Reference https://github.com/mcdope/pam_usb/security/advisories/GHSA-rmp6-wfrq-wrrc