Emacs: emacs: arbitrary code execution in flymake mode
A code execution flaw was found in Emacs, affecting versions prior to 31.2. The Flymake mode using language backends other than Lisp would execute arbitrary code from the edited file while performing syntax checking. Viewing or editing untrusted files using Emacs could lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running Emacs.
- Published
- Sep 23, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 24, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.2% · 5th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-94
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Report tools
Action score
31
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.2%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · redhat
- 7.8
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities in the database; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
—
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (redhat). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
GNU Emacs GNU Emacs
- before 31.2affected · semver
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- all versionsaffected
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- all versionsunknown
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- all versionsaffected
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- all versionsaffected
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- all versionsaffected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | emacs | all versions | — |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | emacs | before 30.2-160000.4.1 | 30.2-160000.4.1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | emacs | before 31.1-4.1 | 31.1-4.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP7 | emacs | before 27.2-150400.3.34.1 | 27.2-150400.3.34.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 | emacs | before 30.2-160000.4.1 | 30.2-160000.4.1 |
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GNU Emacs GNU Emacs | 31.2 | Vendor (CNA) |
| azl3 emacs 29.4-6 on Azure Linux 3.0 | Release Notes | Microsoft (MSRC) |
| opensuse:emacs | 31.1-4.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:emacs | 30.2-160000.4.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- A user must open a link or visit a page.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-94 · Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-96442
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2537347
- github.com/emacs-mirror/emacs/commit/135e6f63f08fee3d374fa1a5187bce941a2d3e3c
- github.com/emacs-mirror/emacs/commit/abc802ee2eb0b1663349ddf22a461f8e54a383fb
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/14/1
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.