# CVE-2026-24061: GNU InetUtils Argument Injection

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication in GNU Inetutils telnetd by manipulating the USER environment variable to gain root access.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 26 Jan 2026 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 21 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 29 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-24061, DLA-4453-1, DSA-6106-1, GHSA-pf97-p8ff-fj35, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-24061, USN-7992-1, USN-7992-2

## What is CVE-2026-24061?

CVE-2026-24061 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 21 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

telnetd in GNU Inetutils through 2.7 allows remote authentication bypass via a "-f root" value for the USER environment variable.

Weakness: CWE-88 (Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-24061?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Gnu Inetutils.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-24061?

Apply the vendor's patch. US federal agencies must fix it by 16 Feb 2026.

## Is CVE-2026-24061 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2026-24061 in the wild since at least 26 Jan 2026.

Public exploit code:

- Exploitation of CVE-2026-24061 (github_poc): https://github.com/SafeBreach-Labs/CVE-2026-24061
- https://github.com/JayGLXR/CVE-2026-24061-POC (github_poc): https://github.com/JayGLXR/CVE-2026-24061-POC
- https://github.com/ZeroDayEvil/CVE-2026-24061 (github_poc): https://github.com/ZeroDayEvil/CVE-2026-24061
- 基于cve-2026-24061 telnet远程认证绕过漏洞的批量检测利用工具 (github_poc): https://github.com/parameciumzhang/Tell-Me-Root
- CVE-2026-24061 GNU Inetutils telnetd 身份验证绕过漏洞检测与利用 GUI 工具 (github_poc): https://github.com/Lingzesec/CVE-2026-24061-GUI
- A small docker lab to play with cve-2026-24061, the inetutils-telnetd authentication bypass. (github_poc): https://github.com/leonjza/inetutils-telnetd-auth-bypass

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-30333](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-30333/): RARLAB UnRAR Directory Traversal (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-24061 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-24061 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 21 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2026-24061 in the wild since at least 26 Jan 2026.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2026-24061/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-24061
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24061
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-24061

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.