CVE-2026-47272: pam_usb: OTP pad authentication bypass via missing system pad check and uninitialized RNG buffer
pamusb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. Prior to 0.9.0, the pusbpadcompare() function in src/pad.c only verified that the user-side pad (~/.pamusb/device.pad) could be read, but did not enforce that the system-side pad (the pad file on the USB device) was also present and readable. If the user-side pad was deleted or unreadable, the function returned a failure that was treated as non-fatal in certain code paths, allowing authentication to succeed without the USB device being verified. A local user can delete their own ~/.pamusb/device.pad to remove the USB device requirement and authenticate without the physical device. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.9.0.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-47272?
The severity of CVE-2026-47272 is rated high with a score of 7.1.
How do I fix CVE-2026-47272?
To fix CVE-2026-47272, you should upgrade to pam_usb version 0.9.0 or later.
What causes the vulnerability in CVE-2026-47272?
CVE-2026-47272 is caused by a missing system pad check and an uninitialized RNG buffer in the pam_usb software.
What systems are affected by CVE-2026-47272?
CVE-2026-47272 affects systems using pam_usb versions prior to 0.9.0.
What is the impact of CVE-2026-47272?
The impact of CVE-2026-47272 allows attackers to bypass OTP pad authentication, leading to potential unauthorized access.