CVE-2026-40468
Heap buffer overflow in gawk
No known exploitation. EPSS puts it in the 10th percentile. A vendor fix is available.
No public exploit knownFixVendor fixNo build named by the sources
e.g. OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.25623.1.1.10.2026.0427
What to do
The vendor has published a fix. Version details are below where the sources state them.
- GNU gawkAffected: ≤ 5.4.0Upgrade to: after 5.4.0Stated by: CVE record
- Fossies GawkAffected: ≤ 5.4.0Upgrade to: after 5.4.0Stated by: NVD
Versions as the sources state them. Full version matrix after sign-in
What it is
From the CVE record
Integer overflow vulnerability has been found in "builtin.c" program file of gawk. This issue may lead to memory exhaustion on the hosting operating system and could be used to overwrite gawk heap metadata and objects with attacker-controlled bytes. It affects gawk in versions 5.4.0 and below.
In plain language
No plain-language summary for this CVE yet.
Exploitation
Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.
- CISA KEV
Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.
- Public exploits
No public exploit or proof of concept found in the sources we track.
- EPSS
0.2% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 10th percentile of scored CVEs.
Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.
Lifecycle
8 events over 103 days, from the signal feeds we watch.
- Patch availablerecord updated
- OpenVAS check added
- Patch availablerecord updated
- Publishedweakness classified, att&ck mapped
Affected products
Technical detail
CVSS 3.1 vector
Open in the CVSS calculatorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Scored 9.1 by NVD.
How it is reached
- Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
- Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
- Privileges Required NoneNo authentication required — anyone can exploit this
- User Interaction NoneNo user interaction needed — fully automated exploitation
Scope
- Scope UnchangedImpact is limited to the vulnerable component itself
Impact if exploited
- Confidentiality NoneNo confidentiality impact
- Integrity HighTotal loss of integrity — attacker can modify any data in the component
- Availability HighTotal denial of service — the component is completely unavailable
Weaknesses
ATT&CK techniques
Mapped from the weaknesses above (CWE to ATT&CK), not observed in attacks.
- Initial AccessT1190Exploit Public-Facing Applicationmedium confidence
Sources
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