CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-106451NVD status: Awaiting Analysis

lz4-java: Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition

CVE-2026-106451 is a high-severity time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition vulnerability in lz4-java from Yawkat, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 7.3 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected lz4-java versions: < 1.11.4. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.16% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of lz4-java you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Yawkatlz4-java< 1.11.4Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
Attack requirements
PresentThe target must be in a specific state or configuration for the attack to work.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
Integrity (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
Availability (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
Confidentiality (other systems)
NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Integrity (other systems)
NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Availability (other systems)
NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (github.com).

Official description

yawkat LZ4 Java provides LZ4 compression for Java. From 1.7.0 until 1.11.4, net.jpountz.util.Native.load() uses File.createTempFile to create an exclusive temporary .lck file but derives the native-library path by removing the suffix, then FileOutputStream opens that predictable path without exclusive creation, allowing another local user with access to the same shared temporary directory to create or replace the library file before System.load() uses it. Successful exploitation depends on shared-directory permissions, host protections, and winning the race, and can execute native code as the victim; hardened systems may instead cause library loading to fail and fall back to Java implementations. Configurations using a system library, a private java.io.tmpdir, or Java-only implementations are not affected. This issue is fixed in version 1.11.4.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition

The product checks the state of a resource before using that resource, but the resource's state can change between the check and the use in a way that invalidates the results of the check.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • The most basic advice for TOCTOU vulnerabilities is to not perform a check before the use. This does not resolve the underlying issue of the execution of a function on a resource whose state and identity cannot be assured, but it does help to limit the false sense of security given by the check.
  • When the file being altered is owned by the current user and group, set the effective gid and uid to that of the current user and group when executing this statement.
  • Limit the interleaving of operations on files from multiple processes.

More Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition vulnerabilities (CWE-367)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in lz4-java

All lz4-java vulnerabilities

Recent Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition vulnerabilities

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