kmstool-enclave: Double Free
CVE-2026-119116 is a high-severity double free vulnerability in kmstool-enclave from AWS, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 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. The record lists version 0.4.6 as the first without the flaw, so updating kmstool-enclave to that release or later removes the exposure. 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.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update kmstool-enclave to 0.4.6 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on aws.amazon.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS | kmstool-enclave | before 0.4.6 | 0.4.6 |
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.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 8.7 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA |
Official description
A use-after-free and double-free issue in the SetClient command handler of the kmstool-enclave sample application of AWS aws-nitro-enclaves-sdk-c before 0.4.6 may allow an application that runs on the parent EC2 instance to corrupt heap memory inside a Nitro Enclave which may lead to arbitrary code execution within the enclave. To remediate this issue, users should rebuild any enclave image that includes kmstool-enclave, or code derived from it, against aws-nitro-enclaves-sdk-c 0.4.6.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Double Free
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
- Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
References
Advisories
Patches and release notes
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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