High [CVE-2026-19816] PackageKit dnf5 ignores SIMULATE on RepoRemove
This high-severity Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-19816 affecting Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat package: packagekit.
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Summary
A flaw was found in PackageKit. In the dnf5 backend, the RepoRemove handler ignores the SIMULATE transaction flag and executes a real package removal, allowing an unprivileged local user to uninstall packages without polkit authorization.
This issue affects Fedora systems using PackageKit with the dnf5 backend. Red Hat Enterprise Linux is not affected because it ships PackageKit 1.2.x with the classic dnf backend, which does not include the vulnerable dnf5 code path.
An attacker requires local access and the ability to invoke PackageKit as an unprivileged user. This flaw allows unauthorized package removal and can affect system integrity and availability, but does not provide arbitrary package installation or a root shell.
Red Hat severity: Important — CVSS 7.1 (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H). Weakness: CWE-863.
Red Hat does not currently list a fixing RHSA for this CVE.
Affected products named by the advisory: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; Red Hat package: packagekit.
Affected versions
No affected-version range was extracted from the source record. The vendor advisory is authoritative — check it before change work.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 1 hour ago·verify at source
Fixed versions
No fixed release is recorded yet. That does not prove no patch exists — confirm against the vendor advisory.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 1 hour ago·verify at source
Mitigation checklist
- Affects v1.3.4 through v1.3.6. Fixed in commit 33be77b. Upgrade to v1.4.0.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 1 hour ago·verify at source
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