CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-44983NVD status: Deferred

smallbitvec: Heap-based Buffer Overflow

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-44983 is a high-severity heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in smallbitvec from Servo, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.3 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected smallbitvec versions: >= 1.0.1, < 2.6.1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.15% 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 smallbitvec 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
Servosmallbitvec>= 1.0.1, < 2.6.1Not 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
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
LowSome restricted data can be read.
Integrity
LowLimited modification of data is possible.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).

Official description

smallbitvec is a growable bit-vector for Rust, optimized for size. From 1.0.1 to 2.6.0, an integer overflow in the internal capacity calculation of smallbitvec can lead to an undersized heap allocation, resulting in a heap buffer overflow through safe APIs only. This allows memory corruption without requiring unsafe code from the caller. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.6.1.

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

The underlying weakness: Heap-based Buffer Overflow

The product writes past the end of a buffer that was allocated on the heap.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Pre-design: Use a language or compiler that performs automatic bounds checking.
  • Use an abstraction library to abstract away risky APIs. Not a complete solution.
  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.

More Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerabilities (CWE-122)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerabilities

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