When bsdinstall or bsdconfig are prompted to scan for nearby Wi-Fi networks, they build up a list of network names and use bsddialog(1) to prompt the user to select a network. This is implemented using a shell script, and the code which handled network names was not careful to prevent expansion by the shell. As a result, a suitably crafted network name can be used to execute commands via a subshell. The problem can be exploited to execute code as root on the system running bsdinstall or bsdconfig. The attacker would need to create an access point with a specially crafted name and be within range of a Wi-Fi scan. Note that bsdinstall and bsdconfig are vulnerable as soon as the user prompts them to scan for nearby networks; they do not need to actually select the malicious network.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5, indicating it requires adjacent network access but requires specific conditions to be met without requiring user interaction and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from freebsd organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Reported in 2026, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2026-05-21T10:16:26.497
2026-05-21T19:00:34.217
Analyzed
CVSSv3.1: 7.5 (HIGH)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 14.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 15.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 15.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 15.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 15.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 15.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 15.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 15.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 15.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | freebsd | freebsd | 15.0 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For freebsd's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.