Vulnerability · Published Nov 2, 2026 · Assigned by VulnCheck
CVE-2026-120457libaec through 1.1.7 Out-of-Bounds Read via m_se_decode() Second Extension Decoder
Medium 5.3
In plain English
A medium-severity security flaw in libaec from Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum. Proof-of-concept exploit code is public. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 15% of all known vulnerabilities).
Severity (CVSS 3.1)5.3Medium
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 84.8% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: poc
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known
Official description
libaec through 1.1.7 contains an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in m_se_decode() in src/decode.c that allows attackers to bypass a signed bounds check via an overlong fundamental sequence. Attackers can supply a crafted CCSDS 121.0/SZIP stream with 2^31 or more zero bits to crash the decoder or leak adjacent memory into decoded samples.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | libaec | no fix listed | DEBIAN-CVE-2026-120457 |
| Debian:13 | libaec | no fix listed | DEBIAN-CVE-2026-120457 |
| Debian:14 | libaec | no fix listed | DEBIAN-CVE-2026-120457 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | libaec | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-120457 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | libaec | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-120457 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | libaec | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-120457 |
| Ubuntu:26.10 | libaec | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-120457 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum | libaec | 0 – through 1.1.7 |
Weakness: CWE-196 · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H
References
- https://github.com/Deutsches-Klimarechenzentrum/libaec/issues/64 issue-tracking
- https://github.com/Deutsches-Klimarechenzentrum/libaec/pull/66 issue-tracking, patch
- https://github.com/Deutsches-Klimarechenzentrum/libaec/blob/v1.1.7/src/decode.c#L556-L586 technical-description
- libaec v1.1.7 Release Notes release-notes
- https://hackmd.io/@haindpwn/libaec-se-decode-fs-signedness-oob-read technical-description
- VulnCheck Advisory: libaec through 1.1.7 Out-of-Bounds Read via m_se_decode() Second Extension Decoder third-party-advisory