## https://sploitus.com/exploit?id=8E33AB41-B87A-5F00-AB2B-611C7ABC68E0
# CVE-2026-24061 GNU inetutils Telnet Detector
A safe, passive detection tool for identifying potential exposure to
**CVE-2026-24061**, a vulnerability affecting certain versions of
**GNU inetutils telnet**.
This project is designed for **DevOps pipelines**, **infrastructure audits**,
and **defensive security portfolios**.
---
## What is CVE-2026-24061?
CVE-2026-24061 is a vulnerability affecting specific versions of
GNU inetutils telnet. Systems running affected versions may be at risk
if the telnet client or service is installed and accessible.
This tool **does not exploit** the vulnerability.
---
## Affected Versions
| GNU inetutils telnet version | Status |
|-----------------------------|--------|
| < 1.9.3 | Not vulnerable |
| 1.9.3 โ 2.7 | Vulnerable |
| โฅ 2.8 | Fixed |
---
## Impact
Affected versions of GNU inetutils telnet may allow unauthorized access
under certain conditions. Systems running vulnerable versions should be
updated or have telnet removed if not required.
---
## What this tool does
โ Detects presence of `telnet`
โ Identifies GNU inetutils implementation
โ Extracts installed version
โ Flags versions in the vulnerable range
โ Produces human-readable and JSON output
โ Supports CI/CD exit codes
---
## What this tool does NOT do
โ No exploitation
โ No fuzzing
โ No malformed network traffic
โ No service interaction
This is **read-only detection only**.
---
## Usage
```bash
python3 inetutils-telnet-cve-2026-24061-check.py
```
JSON output (for pipelines)
```bash
python3 inetutils-telnet-cve-2026-24061-check.py --json
```
---
## CI/CD Integration
This tool can be run automatically in your pipelines. For example, in GitHub Actions:
```yaml
name: CVE-2026-24061 Check
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
security-check:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Run CVE-2026-24061 detector
run: |
python3 inetutils-telnet-cve-2026-24061-check.py --json
```
The script exits with a non-zero status if a vulnerable version of GNU inetutils telnet is detected, allowing pipelines to fail automatically. JSON output is also produced for logging or reporting.
---
## Example Outputs
### Not vulnerable
```
CVE-2026-24061 Telnet Exposure Check
-----------------------------------
host : ci-runner-01
telnet_present : True
implementation : GNU inetutils telnet
version : 2.8
vulnerability_status : not_vulnerable
recommended_action : none
```
### Vulnerable
```
CVE-2026-24061 Telnet Exposure Check
-----------------------------------
host : prod-web-02
telnet_present : True
implementation : GNU inetutils telnet
version : 2.5
vulnerability_status : vulnerable
recommended_action : Upgrade inetutils to a non-vulnerable version or remove/disable telnet service entirely.
```
### Indeterminate
```
CVE-2026-24061 Telnet Exposure Check
-----------------------------------
host : legacy-host
telnet_present : True
implementation : None
version : None
vulnerability_status : indeterminate
recommended_action : Verify telnet implementation and version manually; consider removal if not required.
```
---
## Remediation Guidance
If the system is detected as vulnerable:
### 1. Remove Telnet (preferred)
The safest option is to remove the telnet client entirely:
#### Ubuntu / Debian
```bash
sudo apt remove telnet -y
sudo apt autoremove -y
```
#### RHEL / CentOS / Fedora
```bash
sudo dnf remove telnet -y
```
#### Arch Linux
On Arch Linux, `telnet` is bundled within `inetutils`, which provides essential tools like `ping` and `hostname`. Removing `inetutils` is **not recommended**.
Safe alternative to mitigate risk is stop and disable the telnet server if it is running:
```bash
sudo systemctl stop telnet.socket
sudo systemctl disable telnet.socket
```
### 2. Upgrade Telnet (if removal is not possible)
Many Linux distributions still ship older binaries, so upgrading via package manager may not resolve the vulnerability.
If telnet must remain, consider:
- Building GNU inetutils โฅ 2.8 from source
- Running telnet in a restricted or containerized environment
- Restricting telnet network access using firewalls or access controls