CVE-2026-111223
HIGH 8.6Netgate pfSense CE 2.7.0 through 2.9.0 contains a configuration injection vulnerability that allows authenticated users with IPsec Mobile privileges to execute commands as root via the login_banner field. Attackers can submit a single-line banner containing '}' to escape the unquoted strongswan.conf attr value and define charon.start-scripts entries that charon executes as root on restart.
Severe if exploited (CVSS 8.6), but no known exploitation and low modeled probability. Patch on a normal cadence.
Exploitation likelihood
0.8%chance of exploitation in 30 days · 55th percentile
Impact if exploited
8.6CVSS 4.0 · HIGH
- ConfidentialityHigh
- IntegrityHigh
- AvailabilityHigh
What an attacker needs
- ✓Access: Reachable over the network — no local access needed
- ⚠Privileges: Requires an admin / high-privilege account
- ✓User interaction: No user interaction needed
- ✓Complexity: No special conditions — reliably repeatable
- ✓Requirements: No special attack requirements
✓ lowers the bar for an attacker · ⚠ raises it
Proof of concept
No public PoC is currently catalogued.
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Data snapshot:
Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
References and research data (JSON)
Known Affected Software Configurations
| Vendor | Product | Version range |
|---|---|---|
| Pfsense | Pfsense | ≥ 2.7.0 and ≤ 2.9.0 |
All CVSS metrics
- HIGH 8.6 v4.0 · CNA Primary
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - HIGH 7.2 v3.1 · CNA Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - HIGH 8.6 v4.0 · NVD Secondary
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - HIGH 7.2 v3.1 · NVD Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
Exploit-tagged references (not proof of a PoC)
- https://github.com/abraxas/pfsense-ipsec-login-banner CVE record · VulnCheck · Updated 2026-10-15T18:46:23.730Z
NVD · CVE-2026-111223 · Updated 2026-10-19T20:43:24.317 - https://abraxaslabs.tech/research/pfsense-ipsec-login-banner CVE record · VulnCheck · Updated 2026-10-15T18:46:23.730Z
NVD · CVE-2026-111223 · Updated 2026-10-19T20:43:24.317
Patches & mitigations
- https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/commit/27a52d0807 CVE record · VulnCheck · Updated 2026-10-15T18:46:23.730Z
NVD · CVE-2026-111223 · Updated 2026-10-19T20:43:24.317
Advisories
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/netgate-pfsense-ce-2.7.0-through-2.9.0-command-injection-via-ipsec-mobile-login-banner CVE record · VulnCheck · Updated 2026-10-15T18:46:23.730Z
NVD · CVE-2026-111223 · Updated 2026-10-19T20:43:24.317 - https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2026-102335 EUVD · EUVD-2026-102335
Technical & other
- https://abraxaslabs.tech/research/pfsense-ce-leftovers CVE record · VulnCheck · Updated 2026-10-15T18:46:23.730Z
NVD · CVE-2026-111223 · Updated 2026-10-19T20:43:24.317 - https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9/src/etc/inc/ipsec.inc#L1361-L1388 CVE record · VulnCheck · Updated 2026-10-15T18:46:23.730Z
NVD · CVE-2026-111223 · Updated 2026-10-19T20:43:24.317 - https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9/src/etc/inc/ipsec.inc#L1842-L1845 CVE record · VulnCheck · Updated 2026-10-15T18:46:23.730Z
NVD · CVE-2026-111223 · Updated 2026-10-19T20:43:24.317 - https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9/src/usr/local/www/vpn_ipsec_mobile.php#L269-L273 CVE record · VulnCheck · Updated 2026-10-15T18:46:23.730Z
NVD · CVE-2026-111223 · Updated 2026-10-19T20:43:24.317