{"id":"CVE-2026-91006","title":"Apache Karaf's instance-management service (InstanceServiceImpl) builds the command line used to launch a child Karaf JVM by string concatenation, then executes it through /bin/sh (Unix) or cscript (Windows)","summary":"Apache Karaf's instance-management service (InstanceServiceImpl) builds the command line used to launch a child Karaf JVM by string concatenation, then executes it through /bin/sh (Unix) or cscript (Windows). The caller-supplied javaOpts…","severity":"high","cvss":8.8,"cvssVector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","cwe":["CWE-78"],"vendor":"apache","product":"karaf","affected":["karaf < 4.4.12"],"patched":["karaf 4.4.12"],"published":"2026-09-28","updated":"2026-10-08","sourceUpdated":"2026-10-08T19:19:50.990","source":"NVD","sourceUrl":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-91006","references":[{"url":"https://lists.apache.org/thread/olzy0yjw82b20w59vonfjr1x7v5yzocr","label":"security@apache.org"},{"url":"http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/28/3","label":"af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"},{"url":"https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-91006.json"},{"url":"https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-91006"},{"url":"https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2542423"},{"url":"https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-91006"},{"url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-91006"}],"tags":["nvd","cve.org","csaf","vex","red-hat"],"epss":0.01135,"epssPercentile":0.6633,"ssvc":{"exploitation":"none","automatable":"no","technicalImpact":"total","timestamp":"2026-09-29T03:55:20.472246Z"},"ingestedAt":"2026-09-28T11:08:06.673Z","slug":"CVE-2026-91006","body":"## Overview\n\nApache Karaf's instance-management service (InstanceServiceImpl) builds the command line used to launch a child Karaf JVM by string concatenation, then executes it through /bin/sh (Unix) or cscript (Windows). The caller-supplied javaOpts value is spliced into that string unquoted. A javaOpts value containing shell metacharacters (;, |, `, $(...)) is interpreted by the shell instead of being passed to the JVM as an option, giving arbitrary OS command execution as the Karaf process user.\n\n\nReachable via the shell commands instance:create, instance:start, instance:restart, instance:change-opts, and the equivalent InstanceMBean JMX operations (createInstance, startInstance, changeJavaOpts, cloneInstance).\n\nMitigation   *  Set karaf.secured.command.compulsory.roles=admin in etc/system.properties to close the fail-open gap for all unconfigured command scopes.\n  *  Restrict which principals can reach instance:* commands and InstancesMBean via etc/users.properties role assignments.\n  *  Treat javaOpts passed to instance:create/instance:start/instance:change-opts/InstancesMBean as untrusted input only from fully-trusted operators.\n\n## Affected\n\n- `karaf < 4.4.12`\n\n## Remediation\n\nUpgrade past the affected range:\n\n- `karaf 4.4.12`\n\n## Vendor advisories\n\n- **Red Hat VEX** · Important · updated 2026-10-02 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-91006.json)","depth":"twilight","depthScore":49,"depthScoreParts":{"impact":48.4,"likelihood":0.2,"exploitation":0,"ransomware":0},"changes":[{"seq":213201,"id":"CVE-2026-91006","ts":1790718689908,"field":"cvss","old":null,"new":"8.8"},{"seq":213200,"id":"CVE-2026-91006","ts":1790718689908,"field":"severity","old":"none","new":"high"}]}