Vulnerability Description
authd prior to version 0.6.4 contains a logic error in primary group ID assignment that can lead to local privilege escalation. When a user's primary group ID (GID) differs from their UID, either because the account was created with authd prior to version 0.5.4 or because the primary group was manually changed via the `authctl group set-gid` command, and the user's identity provider record is updated, authd incorrectly resets the user's primary group ID to their UID upon next login. This causes newly created files and directories to be owned by the wrong group, causing denial of service issues, and potentially granting unintended access to other local users and allowing local privilege escalation.
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://github.com/canonical/authd/commit/154b428305cb1a7a19c897626fefd09d6dde8b
- https://github.com/canonical/authd/security/advisories/GHSA-fg3j-5w9g-hmg7
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-6970?
CVE-2026-6970 is a documented vulnerability. authd prior to version 0.6.4 contains a logic error in primary group ID assignment that can lead to local privilege escalation. When a user's primary group ID (GID) differs from their UID, either beca...
How severe is CVE-2026-6970?
CVSS scoring is not yet available for CVE-2026-6970. Check NVD for updates.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-6970?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Review vendor security bulletins for remediation guidance.