CVE-2026-15816: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-8pxm-cr92-crx8
Share
CVSS 7.5
CWE-78
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-15816 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product constructs all or part of an os command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended os command when it is sent to a downstream component.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2026-15816 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-15816
GHSA Identifier GHSA-8pxm-cr92-crx8
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Adjacent (AV:A)
Attack Complexity High (AC:H)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2026-15816

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2026-15816, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection'), where the product constructs all or part of an os command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended os command when it is sent to a downstream component. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

A flaw was found in dracut. The die() error-handling function writes its message into a shell script under the initramfs emergency-hook directory without properly shell-quoting it. When the message contains data derived from the DHCP ROOT_PATH option, an attacker on the adjacent network who controls a rogue DHCP server can inject a command-substitution sequence that executes as root the next time dracut sources its emergency hook scripts during standard boot-failure handling.

References

NVD — CVE-2026-15816 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-15816
Software Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/dracutdevs/dracut/blob/master/modules.d/99base/dracut-lib.sh
Software Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/dracutdevs/dracut/blob/master/modules.d/40network/netroot.sh
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2500889
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2459963
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-15816
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:79... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:79114
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:74... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:74499
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:70... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:70615
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:70... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:70586
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:69... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:69119
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:69... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:69118
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:67... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:67857
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:66... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:66357
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:65... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:65851
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:65... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:65839
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:63... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:63044
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:63... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:63041
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:62... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:62549
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:62... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:62409
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:62... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:62269
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:61... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:61252
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:60... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:60445
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:60... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:60440
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:57... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:57785
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:57... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:57775
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:57... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:57772
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:57... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:57580
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:54... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:54576
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:54... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:54575
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2026:54... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:54571

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-15816?
CVE-2026-15816 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection').
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2026-15816?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-15816?
CVE-2026-15816 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-15816?
CVE-2026-15816 is classified under CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') (The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2026-15816?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-8pxm-cr92-crx8",
  "modified" : "2026-10-08T12:34:22Z",
  "published" : "2026-08-07T12:32:01Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-15816" ],
  "details" : "A flaw was found in dracut. The die() error-handling function writes its message into a shell script under the initramfs emergency-hook directory without properly shell-quoting it. When the message contains data derived from the DHCP ROOT_PATH option, an attacker on the adjacent network who controls a rogue DHCP server can inject a command-substitution sequence that executes as root the next time dracut sources its emergency hook scripts during standard boot-failure handling.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-15816"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/dracutdevs/dracut/blob/master/modules.d/99base/dracut-lib.sh"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/dracutdevs/dracut/blob/master/modules.d/40network/netroot.sh"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2500889"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2459963"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-15816"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:79114"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:74499"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:70615"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:70586"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:69119"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:69118"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:67857"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:66357"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:65851"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:65839"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:63044"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:63041"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:62549"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:62409"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:62269"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:61252"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:60445"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:60440"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:57785"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:57775"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:57772"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:57580"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:54576"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:54575"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:54571"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-78" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-08-07T11:17:05Z"
  }
}