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CVE-2026-42512

HIGHCVSS 8.1/10EPSS 1.42%

Last modified

CVE-2026-42512 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 8.1/10 on the CVSS scale. As dhclient is building an environment to pass to dhclient-script, it may need to resize the array of string pointers. The code which expands the array incorrectly calculates its new size when requesting memory, resulting in a heap buffer overrun. A specially crafted packet can cause dhclient to overrun its buffer of environment entries. EPSS estimates a 1.42% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

As dhclient is building an environment to pass to dhclient-script, it may need to resize the array of string pointers. The code which expands the array incorrectly calculates its new size when requesting memory, resulting in a heap buffer overrun. A specially crafted packet can cause dhclient to overrun its buffer of environment entries. This can result in a crash, but it may be possible to leverage this bug to achieve remote code execution.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1
8.1/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability
1.42%

69.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

VendorProductVersions
FreebsdFreebsd13.5
FreebsdFreebsd14.3
FreebsdFreebsd14.4
FreebsdFreebsd15.0

References

Timeline

Published
Last Modified
Status
Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-42512?
As dhclient is building an environment to pass to dhclient-script, it may need to resize the array of string pointers. The code which expands the array incorrectly calculates its new size when requesting memory, resulting in a heap buffer overrun. A specially crafted packet can cause dhclient to overrun its buffer of environment entries. This can result in a crash, but it may be possible to leverage this bug to achieve remote code execution.
How severe is CVE-2026-42512?
CVE-2026-42512 has a CVSS score of 8.1/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.42% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-42512?
Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2026-42512?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

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Source: NVD / NIST