CVE-2026-9494: An information disclosure vulnerability exists in Canonical ubuntu-pro-client (formerly ubuntu-advantage-tools). The client validates Ubuntu Pro APT credentials by executing /usr/l

mediumCVSS 5.5CVE-2026-9494

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.

Details

Source: NVD Recent CVEs (US · database · site)
Severity: medium — CVSS 5.5
Published: 2026-07-16
Last updated: 2026-07-16
Exploitation: Not in CISA KEV at last sync

Original advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-9494

Exploitation outlook

EPSS (FIRST.org) estimates each CVE’s probability of exploitation in the next 30 days — here is the CSIRTS.com read on those numbers.

Low exploitation riskCVE-2026-94940.11% 30-day exploitation probability — currently an unlikely target, but scores change as exploit code circulates. Riskier than 2% of all scored CVEs.

Referenced CVEs

CVE	CSIRTS overview	External
CVE-2026-9494	coverage & exploitation status	NVD · CVE.org

Same CVEs, other sources

How other CERTs, PSIRTs and databases cover the vulnerabilities in this advisory.

high[NEW] [high] Ubuntu Linux (ubuntu-pro-client): Multiple vulnerabilitiescert-bund
unknownUSN-8555-1: Ubuntu Advantage Tools (pro client) vulnerabilitiesubuntu

Recent advisories for An information disclosure

A cluster of recent advisories against the same product widens the attack surface — attackers routinely chain freshly published CVEs on one product, so review these together.

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