CVE-2024-26461Network attack vector

Memory leak via unreleased sealing buffer

Published Feb 26, 2024 · Updated Aug 14, 2024

Memory leak in the GSSAPI sealing code in MIT Kerberos 5 1.21.2 allows attackers to consume memory during token encoding. gss_krb5int_make_seal_token_v3 allocates plain.data, then takes an error path without freeing it when a ciphertext-size bounds check fails. MIT states that no memory-valid API input is known to reach that check, so no practical service-interruption path has been established.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the GSSAPI sealing code in MIT Kerberos 5 1.21.2 allows attackers to consume memory during token encoding. gss_krb5int_make_seal_token_v3 allocates plain.data, then takes an error path without freeing it when a ciphertext-size bounds check fails. MIT states that no memory-valid API input is known to reach that check, so no practical service-interruption path has been established.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-26461
Published
Feb 26, 2024
Updated
Aug 14, 2024
Vendor
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Product
Kerberos 5
Classifications
CWE-770
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 26, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 14, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1.21.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Kerberos 5version=1.21.2

Published CVSS scores

5.3Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
5.9OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-770Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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