CVE-2026-28279 `osctrl-admin` Vulnerable to OS Command Injection via Environment Configuration
An authenticated administrator can inject shell commands via the hostname parameter, leading to remote code execution as root on all enrolling endpoints.
- 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
What is CVE-2026-28279?
CVE-2026-28279 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in jmpsec osctrl, published on 26 Feb 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
osctrl is an osquery management solution. Prior to version 0.5.0, an OS command injection vulnerability exists in the `osctrl-admin` environment configuration. An authenticated administrator can inject arbitrary shell commands via the hostname parameter when creating or editing environments. These commands are embedded into enrollment one-liner scripts generated using Go's `text/template` package (which does not perform shell escaping) and execute on every endpoint that enrolls using the compromised environment. An attacker with administrator access can achieve remote code execution on every endpoint that enrolls using the compromised environment. Commands execute as root/SYSTEM (the privilege level used for osquery enrollment) before osquery is installed, leaving no agent-level audit trail. This enables backdoor installation, credential exfiltration, and full endpoint compromise. This is fixed in osctrl `v0.5.0`. As a workaround, restrict osctrl administrator access to trusted personnel, review existing environment configurations for suspicious hostnames, and/or monitor enrollment scripts for unexpected commands.
Weakness: CWE-78
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-28279?
3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/jmpsec/osctrl. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
github.com/jmpsec/osctrl Go | All versions | 0.5.0 |
github.com/jmpsec/osctrl Go | All versions | 0.5.0 |
github.com/jmpsec/osctrl Go | All versions | 0.5.0 |
Products include Jmpsec Osctrl.
How do I fix CVE-2026-28279?
Upgrade github.com/jmpsec/osctrl to 0.5.0 or later.
Upgrade, and pass arguments to programs as a list instead of through a shell. More about Command injection.
Is CVE-2026-28279 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-28279 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in jmpsec osctrl
Sources
Also known as GHSA-rchw-322g-f7rm, GO-2026-4579.