A 32-Year-Old Bug Walks Into A Telnet Server (GNU inetutils Telnetd CVE-2026-32746 Pre-Auth RCE)
Summary
WatchTowr Labs analyzes CVE-2026-32746, a pre-auth RCE in GNU inetutils telnetd caused by a bounds overflow in the LINEMODE SLC handling. The piece traces how the overflow can be triggered with SLC triplets, why exploitation is nuanced across 32/64-bit environments, and notes patch status as of publication. It also covers detection approaches and defender-oriented guidance to assess exposure and apply fixes, while reminding readers that Telnet remains present in many systems.