CVE-2026-48065: pam_usb: Unchecked integer multiplication before xmalloc() in conf.c allows heap-based buffer overflow on 32-bit targets

Published May 27, 2026
·
Updated

pamusb provides hardware authentication for Linux using ordinary removable media. Prior to 0.9.1, src/conf.c allocates heap memory proportional to ndevices, a count derived from libxml2 XPath evaluation of the config file, without first enforcing an upper bound. On 32-bit targets (armv7l, i686 -- both listed in the project Makefile), the multiplication ndevices sizeof(tpusbdevice) wraps around sizet, causing xmalloc() to receive a very small size. Because xmalloc() only calls abort() on NULL return, a small-but-non-NULL allocation is accepted, and subsequent array writes overflow the heap. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.9.1.

Affected Software

1 affected component
pam_usb pam_usb<0.9.1

Event History

May 27, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:58 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:58 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·08:16 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-48065?

The severity of CVE-2026-48065 is medium, with a score of 6.7.

2

What does CVE-2026-48065 affect?

CVE-2026-48065 affects the pam_usb software, specifically in the src/conf.c file.

3

How do I fix CVE-2026-48065?

To fix CVE-2026-48065, update to pam_usb version 0.9.1 or later.

4

What kind of vulnerability is CVE-2026-48065?

CVE-2026-48065 is classified as an integer overflow vulnerability.

5

What is the potential impact of CVE-2026-48065?

The potential impact of CVE-2026-48065 is a heap-based buffer overflow on 32-bit systems.

Contact

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