# CVE-2026-9494: Canonical ubuntu-pro-client information disclosure via process arguments

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-9494-canonical-ubuntu-pro-client-information-disclosure-via-process  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-16. Updated: 2026-07-16  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-9494 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.5 · Published 2026-07-16

A security flaw in the Ubuntu Pro client could allow a local user to steal sensitive authentication tokens. This client is used to manage premium support and security updates on Ubuntu systems. If exploited, an attacker could gain unauthorized access to the victim's private software repositories and security maintenance services.

Technologies: [Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/ubuntu-20-04-lts), [Canonical Ubuntu 22.04 LTS](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/ubuntu), [Canonical Ubuntu-Pro-Client](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/ubuntu-pro-client). Vendors: [Canonical](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/canonical).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-9494 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-9494 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-9494?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.5, published 16 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS < 37.1ubuntu0~20.04.1; Canonical Ubuntu 22.04 LTS < 37.2ubuntu~22.04.1; Canonical Ubuntu 24.04 LTS < 37.2ubuntu~24.04.1; Canonical Ubuntu 26.04 LTS < 37.2ubuntu0.1; and 1 more.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-9494?** 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-2026-9494 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-9494?** Check whether you run Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, Canonical Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Canonical Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or one of the others listed at an affected version. 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

An information disclosure vulnerability exists in Canonical ubuntu-pro-client (formerly ubuntu-advantage-tools) due to the insecure handling of credentials. When validating Ubuntu Pro APT credentials, the client executes /usr/lib/apt/apt-helper and passes the secret bearer token as a cleartext component of a URL in the command-line arguments (argv). On systems where process-hiding mitigations like 'hidepid' are not enabled, a local unprivileged attacker can read these arguments from /proc/cmdline while the process is running. This allows the attacker to capture the token and gain unauthorized access to Ubuntu Pro or Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) repositories. The issue is addressed in ubuntu-pro-client version 37.3 and corresponding package updates for various Ubuntu LTS releases.

## Affected products

- Canonical ubuntu-pro-client < 37.3
- Canonical Ubuntu 26.04 LTS < 37.2ubuntu0.1
- Canonical Ubuntu 24.04 LTS < 37.2ubuntu~24.04.1
- Canonical Ubuntu 22.04 LTS < 37.2ubuntu~22.04.1
- Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS < 37.1ubuntu0~20.04.1

## Timeline

- 2026-07-16: disclosed
- 2026-07-16: advisory

## References

- [https://github.com/canonical/](https://github.com/canonical/)
- [https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/resolute](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/resolute)
- [https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/noble](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/noble)
- [https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/jammy](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/jammy)
- [https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/focal](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/focal)
- [https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/bionic](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/bionic)
- [https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/xenial](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/xenial)

## Related threats

- [Canonical snapd privilege escalation in snap-confine](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-8933-canonical-snapd-privilege-escalation-in-snap-confine)
- [Canonical ubuntu-pro-client insecure symlink following in collect-logs](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-12391-canonical-ubuntu-pro-client-insecure-symlink-following-in-collect)
- [Canonical ubuntu-pro-client code execution via APT source injection](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-11386-canonical-ubuntu-pro-client-code-execution-via-apt-source)