CVE-2026-61897

Summary

An Ubuntu-specific patch to AccountsService before 23.13.9-8ubuntu7 only partially drops privileges before launching language helper scripts. It changes the effective UID/GID to the target user but leaves the real UID as 0 (root). A shell spawned by a helper script inherits ruid=0 and may reset its effective UID to root, enabling local privilege escalation.

Affected Software

VendorProductVersion RangeStatus
Canonicalaccountsservice22.07.5-2ubuntu1 < 22.07.5-2ubuntu1.6affected
Canonicalaccountsservice23.13.9-2ubuntu6 < 23.13.9-2ubuntu6.1affected
Canonicalaccountsservice23.13.9-8ubuntu5 < 23.13.9-8ubuntu5.2affected
Canonicalaccountsservice23.13.9-8ubuntu6 < 23.13.9-8ubuntu7affected

Weaknesses

  • CWE-273: CWE-273: Improper Check for Dropped Privileges

References