# CVE-2026-12542: Foreman foreman-tail command injection via eval

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-12542-a-flaw-was-found-in-foreman-the-foreman-tail-utility-is  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-01. Updated: 2026-10-05  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-12542 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-10-01

Foreman is a systems management solution used by organizations to configure and maintain their infrastructure. The foreman-tail utility contains a command injection vulnerability that allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary system commands by injecting shell metacharacters into file path arguments, potentially compromising system integrity and confidentiality.

Technologies: [Red Hat Foreman](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/red-hat-foreman). Vendors: [Red Hat](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/red-hat).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-12542 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-12542 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-12542?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 1 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Red Hat Foreman.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-12542?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-12542 attacked?** It is attacked with local access.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-12542?** Check whether you run Red Hat Foreman. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The foreman-tail utility unsafely uses the eval command to expand file paths, directly incorporating user-supplied arguments into the evaluated string without sanitization or proper quoting. A local attacker can inject shell metacharacters (such as semicolons, ampersands, or pipes) into arguments to break out of the intended command and execute arbitrary system commands with the privileges of the foreman user.

## Affected products

- Red Hat Foreman

## Timeline

- 2026-10-01: disclosed

## References

- [https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/](https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:74503](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:74503)

## Related threats

- [Foreman authorization bypass in personal access token creation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-86322-a-flaw-was-found-in-foreman-s-api-v2)
- [Foreman incorrect authorization in network interface API](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-107203-an-incorrect-authorization-flaw-has-been-found-in-network)
- [Foreman permission filter authorization bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-107193-a-flaw-has-been-found-in-permission-filters-in-the-foreman)
- [Foreman template preview SSTI and credential disclosure](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-96659-a-flaw-was-found-in-foreman-this-vulnerability-allows-an)
- [Foreman sandbox escape via delegated methods in templating engine](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-96658-a-flaw-was-found-in-foreman-an-authenticated-attacker-with-low)