CVE-2026-9256

Description

NGINX Plus and NGINX Open Source have a vulnerability in the ngx_http_rewrite_module module. This vulnerability exists when a rewrite directive uses a regex pattern with distinct, overlapping Perl-Compatible Regular Expression (PCRE) captures (for example, ^/((.*))$) and a replacement string that references multiple such captures (for example, $1$2) in a redirect or arguments context. An unauthenticated attacker along with conditions beyond their control can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests. This may cause a heap buffer overflow in the NGINX worker process leading to a restart. Additionally, attackers can execute code on systems with Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) disabled or when the attacker can bypass ASLR. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.

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

0.0107

Probability of exploitation

0.61%

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

References

Other References

https://my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K000161377 http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/22/14

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-9256? +

NGINX Plus and NGINX Open Source have a vulnerability in the ngx_http_rewrite_module module. This vulnerability exists when a rewrite directive uses a regex pattern with distinct, overlapping Perl-Compatible Regular Expression (PCRE) captures (for example, ^/((.*))$) and a replacement string that references multiple such captures (for example, $1$2) in a redirect or arguments context. An unauthenticated attacker along with conditions beyond their control can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests. This may cause a heap buffer overflow in the NGINX worker process leading to a restart. Additionally, attackers can execute code on systems with Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) disabled or when the attacker can bypass ASLR. Note: Software versions which have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-9256? +

CVE-2026-9256 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 0.0107, placing it in the 1th percentile for exploitation probability.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-9256? +

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.

Related Vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-8997

vifm is vulnerable to a heap buffer overflow during the history merge process when saving the state file (vifminfo.json). This …

CVE-2026-8484

A heap buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the Jansi JNI "ioctl()" wrapper due to a lack of size verification for …

CVE-2026-6210

A type confusion vulnerability in Qt SVG allows an attacker to cause an application crash via a crafted SVG image. …

CVE-2026-2467

Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability in RTI Connext Professional (Core Libraries) allows Overflow Variables and Tags.This issue affects Connext Professional: from …

CVE-2025-0633

Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability in iniparser_dumpsection_ini() in iniparser allows attacker to read out of bound memory

CVE-2025-3512

There is a Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability in QTextMarkdownImporter. This requires an incorrectly formatted markdown file to be passed to …