CVE-2026-11979

Local process crash via overlong shell input

Published Jun 29, 2026 · Updated Jun 29, 2026

Stack-based buffer overflows in GNOME libxml2 2.15.3 and earlier allow local users to corrupt xmlcatalog memory via shell input. In --shell mode, usershell() parses an overlong line into fixed-size command, arg, and argv stack buffers without enforcing their bounds. A local user must run the interactive utility and supply the line; the reported result is a crash or code execution in that process, and maintainers dispute the vulnerability classification.

CVSS severity1.8
Low
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack-based buffer overflows in GNOME libxml2 2.15.3 and earlier allow local users to corrupt xmlcatalog memory via shell input. In --shell mode, usershell() parses an overlong line into fixed-size command, arg, and argv stack buffers without enforcing their bounds. A local user must run the interactive utility and supply the line; the reported result is a crash or code execution in that process, and maintainers dispute the vulnerability classification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-11979
Published
Jun 29, 2026
Updated
Jun 29, 2026
Vendor
XMLSoft
Product
libxml2
Classifications
CWE-121
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 29, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 29, 2026Record 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=0 <=2.15.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

XMLSoft · libxml2version=0 <=2.15.3

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
1.8CERT.PLCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-121Stack-based Buffer Overflow

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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