CVE-2026-16445
High
Description
A flaw was found in dracut. A remote attacker on the adjacent network can exploit this vulnerability by providing specially crafted DHCP options, such as a malicious root-path, next-server, or bootfile name, to a system using dracut's NetworkManager-based initrd network module. These options are improperly handled and written into a temporary shell script without proper escaping, leading to command injection. This allows the attacker to achieve root code execution within the initramfs during system boot.
SeverityHigh
CVSS7.5
Exploit probability—
Product
Enterprise Linux 8
PublishedJul 21, 2026
First seenJul 21, 2026
Weakness typeCWE-78OS command injection
How to fix
Affected products
| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| enterprise_linux 8 | No range specified | — |
| rhel_aus 8.4 | No range specified | — |
| rhel_aus 8.6 | No range specified | — |
| rhel_e4s 8.8 | No range specified | — |
| openshift 4.12 | No range specified | — |
| Red Hat Red Hat Hardened Images | No range specified | — |
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