CVE-2026-40079: Cacti: Command Injection via escape_command() no-op in RRDtool execution

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-40079 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) vulnerability in cacti. EPSS estimates a 1.69% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 77% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 24-06-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 25-06-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Cacti is an open source performance and fault management framework. Versions 1.2.30 and prior are vulnerable to Command Injection due to lack of sanitization in the escape_command() function. The escape_command() function at lib/rrd.php is a no-op: it returns $command unchanged. The command line built by rrdtool_function_graph() is passed through this function and then to shell_exec($full_commandline). The risk is in __rrd_execute() where text_format values from graph templates (which may contain host variable substitutions) reach shell_exec without adequate escaping. This issue has been addressed in version 1.2.31.

• CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS CommandThe product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command before it is sent to a downstream component.
• CWE-88Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a CommandThe product constructs a string for a command to be executed by a separate component in another control sphere, but it does not properly delimit the intended arguments, options, or switches within that command string.