PackageKit: dnf5 backend ignores SIMULATE on RepoRemove (CVE-2026-19816) | HOL Guard CVE

Unknown severity · Source severity not reportedCVE-2026-19816

PackageKit: dnf5 backend ignores SIMULATE on RepoRemove

Answer in brief

CVE-2026-19816 records a Unknown severity vulnerability in PackageKit: dnf5 backend ignores SIMULATE on RepoRemove. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. The current feed maps Fedora/Fedora (generic). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Analysis pending evidence review

HOL Guard separates source facts from reviewed analysis. See the methodology.

Published Sep 14, 2026Updated Sep 14, 2026Source checked Sep 14, 2026First seen by HOL Sep 14, 2026Material review Sep 14, 2026

Upstream Advisory

Key facts

Risk: Unknown severitySource severity not reported
Exploitation: Not marked as known exploited
Affected software: 1 mapped package or product
Fix availability: Available

Why this deserves its current priority

A CVSS score is not reported in the current record. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. Treat this as a source-backed prioritization signal, not a statement about your environment.

Analysis status

Analysis pending evidence review

Factual feed record only; HOL analysis is not approved for indexing. Read the methodology.

Affected scope and exposure questions

The current feed maps Fedora/Fedora (generic). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Mapped affected packages and fixed versions
Package	Affected range	Fixed version
Fedora/Fedorageneric	>=1.3.4 <1.4.0	1.4.0

Recommended response

Check inventory. Check lockfiles and deployed manifests for Fedora/Fedora.
Review the reported fix. Update Fedora/Fedora to 1.4.0 if you use the affected versions. Test the change in a non-production environment first.

Evidence timeline and material changes

Published upstream
Sep 14, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
Source modified
Sep 14, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
First seen by HOL
Sep 14, 2026

Sources and claim methodology

Upstream source description

A flaw was found in PackageKit. PackageKit skips the polkit authorization check for transactions carrying the SIMULATE (dry-run) flag. In the dnf5 backend, the RepoRemove handler ignores that contract and always executes the real transaction because its guard is written as (role == REPO_REMOVE || !SIMULATE), which is always true for RepoRemove. An unprivileged local user can therefore perform a genuine package uninstall while claiming to simulate. This vulnerability only affects systems using PackageKit with the dnf5 backend.

Quoted source text, attributed separately from HOL analysis.