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CVE-2026-49420NVD status: Analyzed

FreeBSD: Stack-based Buffer Overflow

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-49420 is a high-severity stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in FreeBSD, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited from the same local network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions p1, p11, p7 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 0.42% 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. Update FreeBSD to p1 or p11 or p7 or p16, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on security.freebsd.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
FreeBSDFreeBSD15.1-RELEASE up to, but not including, p1; 15.0-RELEASE up to, but not including, p11; 14.4-RELEASE up to, but not including, p7; 14.3-RELEASE up to, but not including, p16p1, p11, p7, p16

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
AdjacentThe attacker must be on the same local network segment.
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
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:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).

Official description

The RTSP handler in libalias rewrote outgoing packets into a fixed-length stack buffer without checking whether the rewritten data fit in the buffer, or whether the result fit back in the original packet. A host sending crafted RTSP traffic from inside a NAT gateway using libalias can overflow a stack buffer, potentially achieving remote code execution in the kernel (when using ipfw(4) NAT) or in the natd(8) process (which generally runs as the root user).

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

The underlying weakness: Stack-based Buffer Overflow

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

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • 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.
  • Use an abstraction library to abstract away risky APIs. Not a complete solution.
  • Implement and perform bounds checking on input.

More Stack-based Buffer Overflow vulnerabilities (CWE-121)

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 FreeBSD

All FreeBSD vulnerabilities

Recent Stack-based Buffer Overflow vulnerabilities

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