CVE-2026-16118: Xdgmime: heap-based buffer overflow in _xdg_mime_magic_parse_magic_line() in xdgmimemagic.c

Published Jul 17, 2026
·
Updated

A flaw was found in xdgmime, affecting all versions. A heap-based buffer overflow can occur in xdgmimemagicparsemagicline() in the xdgmimemagic.c file on little-endian systems when an attacker-controlled MIME magic file in a user-writable XDG data location (e.g., in the $XDGDATAHOME/mime/magic path) is parsed by an application performing MIME type detection (e.g., via gcontenttypeguess()). When performing byte-swap, incorrect pointer arithmetic on the write side causes an out-of-bounds write of 2 bytes, resulting in an application crash or memory corruption. To exploit this flaw, an attacker must trick a user into installing a malicious MIME magic file.

Other sources

A flaw was found in xdgmime. A heap-based buffer overflow can be triggered in xdgmimemagicparsemagicline() in the xdgmimemagic.c file on little-endian systems when an attacker-controlled MIME magic file in a user-writable XDG data location (e.g., in the $XDGDATAHOME/mime/magic path) is parsed by an application performing MIME type detection (e.g., via gcontenttypeguess()). When performing byte-swap, incorrect pointer arithmetic on the write side causes an out-of-bounds write of 2 bytes, resulting in an application crash or memory corruption.

MITRE

Affected Software

1 affected component
xdgmime=

Event History

Jul 17, 2026
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·02:30 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:44 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:44 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·08:17 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-16118?

CVE-2026-16118 has a high severity score of 7.1.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-16118?

To fix CVE-2026-16118, update the xdgmime library to the latest version where the vulnerability is addressed.

3

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-16118?

CVE-2026-16118 is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow.

4

On which systems is CVE-2026-16118 exploitable?

CVE-2026-16118 is specifically exploitable on little-endian systems.

5

What is affected by CVE-2026-16118?

The flaw affects the _xdg_mime_magic_parse_magic_line() function in the xdgmimemagic.c file.

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