# CVE-2026-12544: Foreman: ssti and insecure deserialization in foreman-rake configuration

> Attackers can achieve remote code execution and infrastructure compromise via insecure deserialization and SSTI in Foreman configuration processing.

- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 7 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q8r6-95rf-344m

## What is CVE-2026-12544?

CVE-2026-12544 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Redhat Satellite, published on 1 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A flaw was found in Foreman. The foreman-rake initialization logic in /usr/share/foreman/config/settings.rb contains a vulnerable code pattern where configuration data is processed through two distinct executable layers. This creates a multi-stage execution chain that allows for both Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) and insecure deserialization. This vulnerability can lead to remote code execution, total infrastructure compromise and supply chain risk.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-12544?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Redhat Satellite, Theforeman Foreman.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-12544?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-12544 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-12544 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Satellite

- [CVE-2024-7012](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-7012/): Puppet-foreman: an authentication bypass vulnerability exists in foreman (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-7923](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-7923/): Puppet-pulpcore: an authentication bypass vulnerability exists in pulpcore (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-96659](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96659/): Foreman: excessive permissions for viewer role on preview (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2023-0118](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0118/): Foreman: arbitrary code execution through templates (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2008-2369](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-2369/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-12544 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-12544 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Redhat Satellite, published on 1 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-12544 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Redhat Satellite. 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-2026-12544/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-12544/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-12544
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-12544
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-12544

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-12544/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.