CVE-2026-6554

Process hang via unbounded BPF backward jumps

Published Sep 5, 2026 · Updated Sep 8, 2026

Infinite-loop denial of service in The Tcpdump Group libpcap before 1.10.7 allows local users to hang a consuming process. The pcapint_filter_with_aux_data() BPF interpreter sign-extends the ja L offset for backward jumps but places no limit on repeated traversal of the same instructions. Exploitation requires an application to pass an externally supplied compiled filter program to pcap_offline_filter() or bpf_filter() without first validating it.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.10%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Infinite-loop denial of service in The Tcpdump Group libpcap before 1.10.7 allows local users to hang a consuming process. The pcapint_filter_with_aux_data() BPF interpreter sign-extends the ja L offset for backward jumps but places no limit on repeated traversal of the same instructions. Exploitation requires an application to pass an externally supplied compiled filter program to pcap_offline_filter() or bpf_filter() without first validating it.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-6554
Published
Sep 5, 2026
Updated
Sep 8, 2026
Vendor
The Tcpdump Group
Product
libpcap
Classifications
CWE-835, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 5, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 8, 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 <1.10.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Tcpdump Group · libpcapversion=0 <1.10.7

Published CVSS scores

5.5The Tcpdump GroupCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-835Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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