CVE-2026-15060 systemd-machined: unprivileged users can terminate arbitrary processes
Unprivileged desktop users can terminate arbitrary privileged processes via systemd-machined due to missing authorization checks.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-15060?
CVE-2026-15060 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in systemd-machined, published on 10 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
When systemd-machined >= v259 (or v258 with a custom `polkit` policy that allows `register-machine` access) is running on a desktop system, an unprivileged user logged in a desktop graphical session can kill arbitrary processes, even privileged ones.
- versions older than v259 are not affected, unless unprivileged access is granted for the `register-machine` polkit action via a local, custom policy config file - versions older than v258 are not affected - unrelated to the systemd service manager (pid 1 or user session managers) - systemd-machined is not typically installed by default, and is typically in an optional, separate package (e.g.: systemd-container) - terminal-only or remote sessions (e.g.: ssh) are not affected
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-15060?
How do I fix CVE-2026-15060?
Upgrade to a fixed version.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is CVE-2026-15060 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-15060 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2026-15060, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-15060.