CVE-2026-11850: Krb5: krb5: integer underflow in berval2tl_data() leads to heap out-of-bounds read

Published Apr 21, 2026
·
Updated

An integer underflow vulnerability was found in MIT krb5 in the berval2tldata() function in plugins/kdb/ldap/libkdbldap/ldapprincipal2.c. The function performs an unsigned subtraction (bvlen - 2) without a prior bounds check. When bvlen is 0 or 1, the subtraction wraps to a large value which is then truncated to uint16t, yielding 0xFFFE (65534) or 0xFFFF (65535). The subsequent malloc succeeds and memcpy reads up to 65534 bytes from a 0-1 byte buffer, resulting in a heap out-of-bounds read.

The attack vector involves a malicious or compromised LDAP KDB backend returning a krbExtraData attribute with bvlen < 2, triggering the underflow when the KDC or kadmind reads principal data.

Upstream fix: https://github.com/krb5/krb5/commit/2a5fd83 MIT ticket: https://krbdev.mit.edu/rt/Ticket/Display.html?id=9206

Affected Software

2 affected componentsFixes available
MIT krb5
debian/krb5<=1.18.3-6+deb11u5, <=1.18.3-6+deb11u8, <=1.20.1-2+deb12u5, <=1.21.3-5+deb13u1
1.22.1-3

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/krb5 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.22.1-3

Event History

Apr 21, 2026
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·04:00 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jun 11, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:49 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:49 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·10:16 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Jul 23, 2026
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·03:19 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·03:20 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via Debian·03:20 PM
DescriptionAffected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-11850?

CVE-2026-11850 has a medium severity rating of 5.

2

What impact does CVE-2026-11850 have?

CVE-2026-11850 could lead to a heap out-of-bounds read due to an integer underflow.

3

How do I fix CVE-2026-11850?

To fix CVE-2026-11850, it is recommended to update to the latest version of MIT krb5 where the vulnerability is addressed.

4

What software is affected by CVE-2026-11850?

CVE-2026-11850 affects the MIT krb5 software, particularly the berval2tl_data() function.

5

What kind of vulnerability is CVE-2026-11850 classified as?

CVE-2026-11850 is classified as an integer underflow vulnerability.

Contact

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