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CVE-2026-55893NVD status: Deferred

capstone: Heap-based Buffer Overflow

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-55893 is a high-severity heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in capstone from Capstone-engine, 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 unauthenticated attacker, but only if a user takes part, for example by opening a link or file. Affected capstone versions: < 6.0.0-Alpha10. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.19% 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 capstone 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.
  3. Because the attack needs a user to take part, warn users about unexpected links and files related to this product until it is patched.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Capstone-enginecapstone< 6.0.0-Alpha10Not 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
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
PassiveA user only needs to do something routine, such as viewing a page.
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:N/UI:P/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

Capstone is a disassembly framework. In 6.0.0-Alpha9 and earlier, Capstone's arch/SH/SHDisassembler.c SH floating-point decoders such as opFADD, opFMUL, and opFSUB call set_reg() and set_reg_n() using sh_info.op.op_count without checking the fixed-size operands[] array. Repeated crafted instructions processed through cs_disasm_iter() or cs_disasm() with CS_ARCH_SH, CS_MODE_SH2A or CS_MODE_SH4A, CS_MODE_SHFPU, and CS_OPT_DETAIL can increment the operand count beyond the 176-byte sh_info allocation and perform a four-byte heap buffer overflow write. The corruption can crash the process and may enable code execution depending on heap layout. This issue is fixed in version 6.0.0-Alpha10.

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: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in capstone

All capstone vulnerabilities

Recent Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerabilities

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