FreeBSD: Out-of-bounds Read
CVE-2026-45258 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in FreeBSD, 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 versions p10, p6, p15 as the first without the flaw, so updating FreeBSD to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. 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.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update FreeBSD to p10 or p6 or p15, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on security.freebsd.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreeBSD | FreeBSD | 15.0-RELEASE up to, but not including, p10; 14.4-RELEASE up to, but not including, p6; 14.3-RELEASE up to, but not including, p15 | p10, p6, p15 |
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
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- 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:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
dsp_mmap_single() validated the requested mapping by checking the sum of the user-supplied offset and length against the buffer size. This addition could overflow, so that a large offset and length wrapped around and passed the check. The offset was then narrowed from 64 to 32 bits when converted to a buffer address, yielding a mapping that extended past the audio buffer into unrelated kernel memory. The /dev/dsp device nodes are world-accessible by default. On a system with an audio device, either issue allows an unprivileged local user to read and write kernel memory, which can be used to escalate privileges, potentially gaining full control of the affected system. At a minimum, an attacker can crash the kernel, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other vulnerabilities in FreeBSD
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
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