CVE-2026-42512

Description

As dhclient is building an environment to pass to dhclient-script, it may need to resize the array of string pointers. The code which expands the array incorrectly calculates its new size when requesting memory, resulting in a heap buffer overrun. A specially crafted packet can cause dhclient to overrun its buffer of environment entries. This can result in a crash, but it may be possible to leverage this bug to achieve remote code execution.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

8.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0006

Probability of exploitation

0.19%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-122 CWE-122

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All
freebsd	freebsd	All

References

Advisories & Patches

https://security.freebsd.org/advisories/FreeBSD-SA-26:15.dhclient.asc

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-42512? +

As dhclient is building an environment to pass to dhclient-script, it may need to resize the array of string pointers. The code which expands the array incorrectly calculates its new size when requesting memory, resulting in a heap buffer overrun. A specially crafted packet can cause dhclient to overrun its buffer of environment entries. This can result in a crash, but it may be possible to leverage this bug to achieve remote code execution. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-42512? +

CVE-2026-42512 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.1 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0006, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-42512? +

CVE-2026-42512 affects products from freebsd, specifically: freebsd. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-42512? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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