# CVE-2026-16526: Pcp: pcp: privilege escalation to root via linux_sockets pmda vulnerability

> An attacker with local access can exploit an unsecured internal connection in the PCP linux_sockets module to escalate privileges to root.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 1 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-94380, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-16526, GHSA-534w-2xfq-h655, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-16526

## What is CVE-2026-16526?

CVE-2026-16526 is a high-severity vulnerability in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, published on 30 Jul 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A flaw in the PCP linux_sockets module exposes an unsecured internal connection.
An attacker with initial code execution can exploit this to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary commands as root.

Weakness: CWE-403 (Exposure of File Descriptor to Unintended Control Sphere)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-16526?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-16526?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-16526 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16526 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-16526 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-16526 is a high-severity vulnerability in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, published on 30 Jul 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16526 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. 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-2026-16526/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16526/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16526
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16526
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-16526

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16526/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.