Remote code execution via empty checksum responses
Published May 7, 2026 · Updated May 7, 2026
Checksum validation bypass in Go command before 1.25.10 and 1.26.0-0 through 1.26.2 allows remote attackers to execute altered toolchains. The command accepts a successful checksum-database response with no matching module entry, treating an empty or unrelated signed response as validation. Exploitation requires an untrusted module proxy or checksum database and a module or toolchain download, after which attacker-supplied code runs with the invoking user's privileges.
Summary
What happened
Checksum validation bypass in Go command before 1.25.10 and 1.26.0-0 through 1.26.2 allows remote attackers to execute altered toolchains. The command accepts a successful checksum-database response with no matching module entry, treating an empty or unrelated signed response as validation. Exploitation requires an untrusted module proxy or checksum database and a module or toolchain download, after which attacker-supplied code runs with the invoking user's privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-42501
- Published
- May 7, 2026
- Updated
- May 7, 2026
- Vendor
- Go
- Product
- Go command
- Classifications
- CWE-347, T1195.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 7, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 7, 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.
- Affected versionversion=0 <1.25.10
- Affected versionversion=1.26.0-0 <1.26.3
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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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