CVE-2026-12544
Description
A flaw was found in Foreman. The foreman-rake initialization logic in /usr/share/foreman/config/settings.rb contains a vulnerable code pattern where configuration data is processed through two distinct executable layers. This creates a multi-stage execution chain that allows for both Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) and insecure deserialization. This vulnerability can lead to remote code execution, total infrastructure compromise and supply chain risk.
Statement
Indirect triggering and remote code execution: foreman-rake exposes underlying execution primitives that higher-level orchestration tools (like foreman-maintain or foreman-installer) rely on to interact with the application. Because these tools implicitly pass commands down, the vulnerability can be triggered indirectly during routine administrative operations, resulting in remote code execution in a high-trust context (often foreman or root).
Total infrastructure compromise: compromising the management plane (Satellite server) allows an attacker to pivot and execute arbitrary code across all Satellite managed hosts.
Supply chain risk: while direct local exploitation requires prior root access, this flaw presents a critical supply chain risk. An adversary could distribute malicious plugins or compromised configuration files through public repositories (e.g., RubyGems, GitHub). Note: The CVSS vector and severity are based on this supply chain attack vector.
Mitigation
Red Hat has investigated whether a possible mitigation exists for this issue, and has not been able to identify a practical example. Please update the affected package as soon as possible.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.7 | N/A | 7.7 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | High | N/A | High |
| User Interaction | Required | N/A | Required |
| Scope | Changed | N/A | Changed |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Acknowledgements
This issue was discovered by Laura Pardo (Red Hat) and Toni Gornals (Red Hat).
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