Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10: Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size
CVE-2026-78002 is a high-severity incorrect calculation of buffer size vulnerability in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 from Red Hat, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.06% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 65% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
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
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- 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
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA (redhat.com).
Official description
A flaw was found in rsyslog. An unauthenticated remote attacker can trigger a heap buffer overflow in the RainerScript `replace()` function by sending specially crafted syslog messages. This vulnerability arises from an incorrect buffer size calculation during string replacement, causing memory corruption. Successful exploitation can lead to a denial of service (DoS) for the affected system.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size
The product does not correctly calculate the size to be used when allocating a buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- When allocating a buffer for the purpose of transforming, converting, or encoding an input, allocate enough memory to handle the largest possible encoding. For example, in a routine that converts & characters to & for HTML entity encoding, the output buffer needs to be at least 5 times as large as the input buffer.
- Understand the programming language's underlying representation and how it interacts with numeric calculation (CWE-681). Pay close attention to byte size discrepancies, precision, signed/unsigned distinctions, truncation, conversion and casting between types, not-a-number calculations, and how the language handles numbers that are too large or too small for its underlying representation. Also be careful to account for 32-bit, 64-bit, and other potential differences that may affect the numeric representation.
- Perform input validation on any numeric input by ensuring that it is within the expected range. Enforce that the input meets both the minimum and maximum requirements for the expected range.
More Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size vulnerabilities (CWE-131)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:69540
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:69541
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:71603
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:80817
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:81321
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:84576
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:86124
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:87408
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:90349
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:91582
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:95573
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:96085
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:98456
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:98558
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-78002
Other vulnerabilities in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.9 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.