CVE-2026-45252: Heap overflow in FUSE_LISTXATTR

Published May 21, 2026
·
Updated

When a fusefs file system implements extended attributes, the kernel may send a FUSE_LISTXATTR message to the userspace daemon to retrieve the list of extended attributes for a given file. The FUSE protocol requires the daemon to return a packed list of NUL-terminated strings. The fusefs kernel module calls strlen() on this daemon-supplied buffer without first verifying that the entire list is NUL-terminated. If a malicious daemon sends a non-NUL-terminated list, the fusefs kernel module may read beyond the end of one heap-allocated buffer and potentially write beyond the end of a second buffer. A malicious daemon could disclose up to 253 bytes of kernel heap memory, or it could inject up to 250 attacker-controlled bytes into unallocated kernel heap space.

Affected Software

30 affected components
Linux Linux kernel (fusefs)
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p1
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p10
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p11
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p12
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p13
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p2
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p3
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p4
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p5
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p6
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p7
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p8
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.3-p9
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.4
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.4-p1
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.4-p2
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.4-p3
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.4-p4
FreeBSD FreeBSD=14.4-rc1
FreeBSD FreeBSD=15.0
FreeBSD FreeBSD=15.0-p1
FreeBSD FreeBSD=15.0-p2
FreeBSD FreeBSD=15.0-p3
FreeBSD FreeBSD=15.0-p4
FreeBSD FreeBSD=15.0-p5
FreeBSD FreeBSD=15.0-p6
FreeBSD FreeBSD=15.0-p7
FreeBSD FreeBSD=15.0-p8

Event History

May 21, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:08 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:08 AM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·10:16 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-45252?

CVE-2026-45252 has a medium severity rating of 5.5.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-45252?

To mitigate CVE-2026-45252, ensure you update your FreeBSD or Linux kernel to the latest patched version.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2026-45252?

CVE-2026-45252 affects FreeBSD and the Linux kernel when implementing fusefs for file systems with extended attributes.

4

What is the impact of CVE-2026-45252?

CVE-2026-45252 can lead to a heap overflow in the userspace daemon handling FUSE_LISTXATTR messages.

5

Is remote exploitation possible with CVE-2026-45252?

Yes, CVE-2026-45252 may allow remote attackers to exploit heap overflow vulnerabilities in specific configurations.

Contact

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