Critical Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in MRTG Package
Summary
ALSA-2026:65832: Important: mrtg security update. Affects mrtg versions < 2.17.7-1.el8_10.1. Fixed in 2.17.7-1.el8_10.1. How to fix ↓
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Background
The Multi Router Traffic Grapher (MRTG) is a widely used tool that monitors the traffic load on network connections. It generates HTML pages containing PNG images that visually represent this traffic in real-time. MRTG is essential for network administrators to analyze bandwidth usage and ensure optimal performance. However, it has been found to have a security vulnerability that could allow local privilege escalation.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in MRTG arises from a symlink-following issue in the MRTG daemon, which allows an attacker to manipulate the PID file path. This manipulation can lead to unauthorized privilege escalation on the system, potentially allowing a local user to gain elevated permissions and access sensitive information or perform malicious actions.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
2.17.7-1.el8_10.1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo dnf update mrtgTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can restrict access to the MRTG daemon and ensure that only trusted users have the ability to interact with it. This can be done by modifying the permissions of the MRTG configuration files and directories.
Conclusion
The MRTG package has a critical vulnerability that allows for local privilege escalation due to a symlink-following issue. It is crucial to update to the patched version to secure your system. Additionally, consider using Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in your software without needing to access the code directly.
See every vulnerability recorded for mrtg →
FAQ
MRTG stands for Multi Router Traffic Grapher, a tool used to monitor network traffic.
The vulnerability allows local privilege escalation through PID file path manipulation.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability.
If you cannot update immediately, consider restricting access to the MRTG daemon as a temporary measure.
More information can be found on the CVE page associated with this vulnerability, CVE-2026-72694.
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