CVE-2026-57236

Description

Nokogiri is an open source XML and HTML library for the Ruby programming language. Prior to 1.19.4, calling Document#encoding= with an invalid encoding (e.g., a non-string, or a string containing a null byte) raises an exception, but only after freeing the document's current encoding string without replacing it. The document is left referencing freed memory, so the next call to Document#encoding reads invalid memory, which can cause a segfault or leak freed bytes into a Ruby String. Affects the CRuby (libxml2) implementation only; JRuby is not affected. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.19.4.

CVSS v3.1 Score

8.2

HIGH

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

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0033

Probability of exploitation

0.25%

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-416 Use After Free

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
nokogiri	nokogiri	< 1.19.4

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/sparklemotion/nokogiri/security/advisories/GHSA-5v8h-3h3q-446p

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-57236? +

Nokogiri is an open source XML and HTML library for the Ruby programming language. Prior to 1.19.4, calling Document#encoding= with an invalid encoding (e.g., a non-string, or a string containing a null byte) raises an exception, but only after freeing the document's current encoding string without replacing it. The document is left referencing freed memory, so the next call to Document#encoding reads invalid memory, which can cause a segfault or leak freed bytes into a Ruby String. Affects the CRuby (libxml2) implementation only; JRuby is not affected. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.19.4. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.2 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-57236? +

CVE-2026-57236 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.2 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0033, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-57236? +

CVE-2026-57236 affects products from nokogiri, specifically: nokogiri. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-57236? +

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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