CVE-2026-54552
sh _uid does not drop supplementary groups (incomplete privilege drop)
Description
sh provides Python process launching. Prior to 2.2.4, the _uid option in sh.py performs an incomplete privilege drop on Linux and Unix-like systems. When sh runs from an elevated process and launches a command with _uid set to an unprivileged user, the child changes its UID but can retain the parent process's supplementary groups because the privilege-drop sequence does not fully establish the target user's UID, primary GID, and supplementary groups. The child can therefore retain access to files or resources granted to privileged groups such as root, docker, disk, shadow, or sudo, violating the expected _uid privilege boundary. This issue is fixed in version 2.2.4.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 18, 2026, 6:18 p.m.
Last Modified :
Oct. 22, 2026, 10:10 p.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 | HIGH | [email protected] | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | MITRE-CVE |
Solution
- Upgrade sh.py to version 2.2.4 or later.
- Verify the privilege drop mechanism functions correctly.
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-2026-54552.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-54552 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-2026-54552
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-2026-54552 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-54552 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. 22, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Translation Title: sh de amoffat, Description: sh proporciona el lanzamiento de procesos Python. Antes de la 2.2.4, la opción _uid en sh.py realiza una caída de privilegios incompleta en sistemas Linux y similares a Unix. Cuando sh se ejecuta desde un proceso elevado y lanza un comando con _uid establecido a un usuario no privilegiado, el proceso hijo cambia su UID pero puede retener los grupos suplementarios del proceso padre porque la secuencia de caída de privilegios no establece completamente el UID, GID primario y grupos suplementarios del usuario objetivo. Por lo tanto, el proceso hijo puede retener el acceso a archivos o recursos otorgados a grupos privilegiados como root, docker, disk, shadow o sudo, violando el límite de privilegios _uid esperado. Este problema se corrige en la versión 2.2.4. -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Aug. 18, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-54552', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'total'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-08-18T18:44:23.350805Z'} -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Aug. 18, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'amoffat', 'product': 'sh', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '< 2.2.4'}]}] Added Description sh provides Python process launching. Prior to 2.2.4, the _uid option in sh.py performs an incomplete privilege drop on Linux and Unix-like systems. When sh runs from an elevated process and launches a command with _uid set to an unprivileged user, the child changes its UID but can retain the parent process's supplementary groups because the privilege-drop sequence does not fully establish the target user's UID, primary GID, and supplementary groups. The child can therefore retain access to files or resources granted to privileged groups such as root, docker, disk, shadow, or sudo, violating the expected _uid privilege boundary. This issue is fixed in version 2.2.4. Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N Added CWE CWE-273 Added Reference https://github.com/amoffat/sh/commit/3d855daba91f87a089b490c0d1cf1df3faace2f1 Added Reference https://github.com/amoffat/sh/pull/776 Added Reference https://github.com/amoffat/sh/releases/tag/2.2.4 Added Reference https://github.com/amoffat/sh/security/advisories/GHSA-q38v-wp89-2w55