opentelemetry-go: BSD kenv command not using absolute path enables PATH hijacking

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

7.3 · CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2026-39883: 0.25% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 16.81 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary The fix for GHSA-9h8m-3fm2-qjrq (CVE-2026-24051) changed the Darwin ioreg command to use an absolute path but left the BSD kenv command using a bare name, allowing the same PATH hijacking attack on BSD and Solaris platforms. Root Cause sdk/resource/hostid.go line 42: if result, err := r.execCommand("kenv", "-q", "smbios.system.uuid"); err == nil { Compare with the fixed Darwin path at line 58: result, err := r.execCommand("/usr/sbin/ioreg", "-rd1", "-c", "IOPlatformExpertDevice") The execCommand helper at sdk/resource/hostidexec.go uses exec.Command(name, arg...) which searches $PATH when the command name contains no path separator. Affected platforms (per build tag in hostidbsd.go:4): DragonFly BSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris. The kenv path is reached when /etc/hostid does not exist (line 38-40), which is common on FreeBSD systems. Attack 1. Attacker has local access to a system running a Go application that imports go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk 2. Attacker places a…

Published by the source

8 Apr 2026, 19:22 UTC

Last modified by the source

9 Apr 2026, 14:29 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:19 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-hfvc-g4fc-pqhx

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-39883

Advisory: opentelemetry-go: BSD kenv command not using absolute path enables PATH hijacking
IDs: CVE-2026-39883, GHSA-hfvc-g4fc-pqhx
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-39883 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:19 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk 1.43.0. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk: affected >= 1.15.0, <= 1.42.0; fixed in 1.43.0

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-hfvc-g4fc-pqhx (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-hfvc-g4fc-pqhx lists affected ranges: Go go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk >=1.15.0 <=1.42.0)

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