sh provides Python process launching. Prior to 2.2.4, the _uid option in sh.py performs an incomplete privilege drop on Linux and Unix-like systems. When sh runs from an elevated process and launches a command with _uid set to an unprivileged user, the child changes its UID but can retain the parent process's supplementary groups because the privilege-drop sequence does not fully establish the target user's UID, primary GID, and supplementary groups. The child can therefore retain access to files or resources granted to privileged groups such as root, docker, disk, shadow, or sudo, violating the expected _uid privilege boundary. This issue is fixed in version 2.2.4.
Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-q38v-wp89-2w55 sh _uid does not drop supplementary groups (incomplete privilege drop)
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Tue, 18 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description sh provides Python process launching. Prior to 2.2.4, the _uid option in sh.py performs an incomplete privilege drop on Linux and Unix-like systems. When sh runs from an elevated process and launches a command with _uid set to an unprivileged user, the child changes its UID but can retain the parent process's supplementary groups because the privilege-drop sequence does not fully establish the target user's UID, primary GID, and supplementary groups. The child can therefore retain access to files or resources granted to privileged groups such as root, docker, disk, shadow, or sudo, violating the expected _uid privilege boundary. This issue is fixed in version 2.2.4.
Title sh _uid does not drop supplementary groups (incomplete privilege drop)
Weaknesses CWE-273
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N'}


Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-18T18:44:38.505Z

Reserved: 2026-06-15T19:04:14.456Z

Link: CVE-2026-54552

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-08-18T18:44:28.018Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-18T18:18:23.147

Modified: 2026-08-18T19:16:57.803

Link: CVE-2026-54552

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses