CVE-2026-72712Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Scan crash via zero-length TCP option

Published Aug 11, 2026 · Updated Aug 11, 2026

Denial of service in Nmap 7.99 and earlier allows remote attackers to crash an NSE scan via a zero-length TCP option. Packet:parse_options() in nselib/packet.lua reads an option length of zero, repeatedly allocates table entries, and never advances its pointer. Exploitation requires an operator to run an NSE script against an attacker-controlled or malformed host; memory exhaustion terminates the Nmap process.

CVSS severity6.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.42%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in Nmap 7.99 and earlier allows remote attackers to crash an NSE scan via a zero-length TCP option. Packet:parse_options() in nselib/packet.lua reads an option length of zero, repeatedly allocates table entries, and never advances its pointer. Exploitation requires an operator to run an NSE script against an attacker-controlled or malformed host; memory exhaustion terminates the Nmap process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72712
Published
Aug 11, 2026
Updated
Aug 11, 2026
Vendor
Nmap Project
Product
Nmap
Classifications
CWE-835, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 11, 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 <=7.99

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Nmap Project · Nmapversion=0 <=7.99

Published CVSS scores

6.5VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.9VulnCheckCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-835Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

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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