CVE-2026-9494
Description
An information disclosure vulnerability exists in Canonical ubuntu-pro-client (formerly ubuntu-advantage-tools). The client validates Ubuntu Pro APT credentials by executing /usr/lib/apt/apt-helper using the download-file command. During this process, the secret bearer token is embedded directly in the cleartext URL component passed via the command-line arguments (argv), resulting in a URL format such as https://bearer:<token>@esm.ubuntu.com/.../. On systems utilizing a default-mounted /proc file system where process-hiding mitigations (such as hidepid) are disabled, an unprivileged local attacker can monitor system processes and read the sensitive bearer token directly from /proc/cmdline while the helper process is actively running. This leaked token can subsequently be used to gain unauthorized access to the victim's Ubuntu Pro or Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) repositories.
Predictions
Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.
Mitigations
No mitigations published for this CVE yet.
The vendor-content worker queues fetches as references arrive (check back in a few minutes). Or — if you've already worked around this in production — publish your fix to the community-verified tier.
✚ Propose a mitigation on Community → Mitigations published via the community go through AI scoring + 2 human reviewers + 7-day silent objection window before landing here withsource_tier=community-verified.
OS impact
Ubuntu Fixed 7 releases
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| xenial | Fixed | 37.1ubuntu0~16.04.1 |
| trusty | Fixed | 19.7ubuntu0.1 |
| resolute | Fixed | 37.2ubuntu0.1 |
| noble | Fixed | 37.2ubuntu~24.04.1 |
| jammy | Fixed | 37.2ubuntu~22.04.1 |
| focal | Fixed | 37.1ubuntu0~20.04.1 |
| bionic | Fixed | 37.1ubuntu0~18.04.1 |
References
CWEs
CWE-214
Community-verified mitigations for this CVE will appear above when contributors publish them.
Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.