Libarchive: a null pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the acl parser of libarchive
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.17% (FIRST EPSS).
- 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.
- Fixed version: libarchive (Debian:14) 3.8.8-1; libarchive (Red Hat:hummingbird:1) 0:3.8.7-1.hum1; libarchive-devel (Red Hat:hummingbird:1) 0:3.8.7-1.hum1.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to libarchive (Debian:14) 3.8.8-1; libarchive (Red Hat:hummingbird:1) 0:3.8.7-1.hum1; libarchive-devel (Red Hat:hummingbird:1) 0:3.8.7-1.hum1 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
A flaw was found in libarchive. A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the ACL parsing logic, specifically within the archive_acl_from_text_nl() function. When processing a malformed ACL string (such as a bare "d" or "default" tag without subsequent fields), the function fails to perform adequate validation before advancing the pointer. An attacker can exploit this by providing a maliciously crafted archive, causing an application utilizing the libarchive API (such as bsdtar) to crash, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).
- Published
- Apr 7, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 1, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.1% · 6th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-476
Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.1%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · redhat
- 5.5
- 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.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| libarchive | libarchive | cpe:2.3:a:libarchive:libarchive |
| redhat | hardened images | cpe:2.3:a:redhat:hardened_images |
| redhat | openshift container platform | cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openshift_container_platform |
| redhat | enterprise linux | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- libarchive libarchiveall versions
- redhat enterprise linux10.0
- redhat enterprise linux6.0
- redhat enterprise linux7.0
- redhat enterprise linux8.0
- redhat enterprise linux9.0
- redhat hardened imagesall versions
- redhat openshift container platform4.0
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.
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- all versionsaffected
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- all versionsaffected
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
Red Hat Red Hat Hardened Images
- 3.8.7-1.hum1 and laternot affected · rpm
Red Hat Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- all versionsaffected
- 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 | libarchive | from 0 | — |
| Debian:14 | libarchive | before 3.8.8-1 | 3.8.8-1 |
| Red Hat:hummingbird:1 | libarchive | before 0:3.8.7-1.hum1 | 0:3.8.7-1.hum1 |
| Red Hat:hummingbird:1 | libarchive-devel | before 0:3.8.7-1.hum1 | 0:3.8.7-1.hum1 |
Same product
libarchive: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2024-26256Libarchive Remote Code Execution Vulnerability57Plan
- CVE-2022-36227In libarchive before 3.6.2, the software does not check for an error after calling calloc function that can return with a NULL pointer if th40Plan
- CVE-2016-1541Heap-based buffer overflow in the zip_read_mac_metadata function in archive_read_support_format_zip.c in libarchive before 3.2.0 allows remo38Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-4424Mar 19, 2026 · Libarchive: libarchive: information disclosure via heap out-of-bounds read in rar archive processing30Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-5121Mar 30, 2026 · Libarchive: libarchive: arbitrary code execution via integer overflow in iso9660 image processing30Monitor
- Later →CVE-2025-64031Sep 14, 2026 · libarchive 3.8.x before 3.8.2 has a strcpy heap-based buffer overflow in the gzip writer via the original-filename field to archive_compress10Monitor
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 |
|---|---|---|
| debian:libarchive | 3.8.8-1 · Debian:14 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:bsdcat | 0:3.8.7-1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:libarchive | 0:3.8.7-1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:libarchive-devel | 0:3.8.7-1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1 | 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.
No commit or PR link among the references.
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.
- CVE-2024-48615375 days apartNull Pointer Dereference vulnerability in libarchive 3.7.6 and earlier when running program bsdtar in function header_pax_extension at rchiv30Monitor
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
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-476 · NULL Pointer DereferenceCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (2 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.