# CVE-2026-4480: Samba: samba: remote code execution in printing subsystem via unescaped job description

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code on Samba servers by sending crafted print job descriptions containing unescaped shell characters.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 26 May 2026
- **Updated:** 1 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-4480, AZL-88880, CLSA-2026-1780478501, CLSA-2026-1780503645, CLSA-2026-1780510989, CLSA-2026-1780662239, CLSA-2026-1780662711, CLSA-2026-1780672424, CLSA-2026-1780947657, CLSA-2026-1782145639, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-4480, ECHO-a229-4b9e-b030, GHSA-hwwh-4hhw-h9jf, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-4480

## What is CVE-2026-4480?

CVE-2026-4480 is a critical command injection vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux, published on 26 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A flaw was found in the Samba printing subsystem. Samba passes the client-controlled job description string to the command configured with the "print command" setting via the "%J"
substitution character without escaping shell meta characters. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted print job description that contains unescaped shell characters. This could lead to remote code execution on the affected system.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-4480?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Redhat Enterprise Linux, Redhat Openshift Container Platform, Samba Samba.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-4480?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-4480 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-4480 exists.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/TheCyberGeek/CVE-2026-4480-PoC (github_poc): https://github.com/TheCyberGeek/CVE-2026-4480-PoC
- CVE-2026-4480 (github_poc): https://github.com/0xredash/CVE-2026-4480
- smb spooler to RCE (github_poc): https://github.com/saitoken241/CVE-2026-4480-POC
- Exploit para CVE-2026-4480: inyeccion de comandos en la variable %J del print command de Samba para RCE sin autenticacion via spoolss. (github_poc): https://github.com/AlanNewberry/CVE-2026-4480-samba-print-command-injection-rce
- Exploit CVE-2026-4480 (github_poc): https://github.com/robinxiang/CVE-2026-4480
- This is an exploit poc for CVE-2026-4480 (github_poc): https://github.com/Vusal777/CVE-2026-4480-exploit-poc

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Enterprise Linux

- [CVE-2018-14667](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14667/): Red Hat JBoss RichFaces Framework Expression Language Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-20325](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20325/): Missing fixes for CVE-2021-40438 and CVE-2021-26691 in the versions of httpd, as shipped in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.5.0, causes a securit (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-25011](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-25011/): Memory corruption in libwebp (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-25014](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-25014/): Other in libwebp (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-3585](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3585/): Supply chain in redhat-upgrade-tool (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-4480 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-4480 is a critical command injection vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux, published on 26 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-4480 exists.

Affected product: Redhat Enterprise 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-2026-4480/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-4480/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-4480
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-4480
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-4480

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-4480/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.