# CVE-2026-111224: Netgate pfSense CE through 2.9.0 OS Command Injection via openvpn.connect_async.sh

> Authenticated VPN users can execute arbitrary commands as root via crafted usernames in pfSense CE, requiring a patch to mitigate.

- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 16 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x2xf-vqvc-49xv

## What is CVE-2026-111224?

CVE-2026-111224 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Netgate pfSense CE, published on 15 Oct 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

pfSense CE through 2.9.0 contains an OS command injection vulnerability in the OpenVPN openvpn.connect_async.sh script that allows authenticated VPN users to execute commands as root via crafted usernames. Attackers authenticated through RADIUS or LDAP can use usernames containing single quotes and shell metacharacters to break out of the eval'd pfctl anchor name on connect or disconnect.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-111224?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-111224?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-111224 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-111224 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-111224 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-111224 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-111224 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Netgate pfSense CE, published on 15 Oct 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-111224 exists.

Affected product: Netgate pfSense CE. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-111224/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-111224/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-111224
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-111224
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-111224

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-111224/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.