CVE-2026-52757

Ghidra before 12.1 contains a heap-use-after-free vulnerability in the decompiler's HighVariable::merge() function during the variable merging pass. Attackers can trigger this vulnerability by crafting a binary that causes stale pointers in the HighIntersectTest::highedgemap cache to be dereferenced, reading and writing the flags field of freed heap memory when a user opens the binary in Ghidra's decompiler view.

CVSS v3 4.4 MEDIUM

4.4^/10

CVSS v3 : MEDIUM

Vector :

Exploitability : 1.8 / Impact : 2.5

Attack Vector LOCAL

Attack Complexity LOW

Privileges Required NONE

User Interaction REQUIRED

Confidentiality Impact NONE

Integrity Impact LOW

Availability Impact LOW

Scope UNCHANGED

References

Link	Resource
https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/security/advisories/GHSA-8jqp-qv73-395r	Exploit Vendor Advisory
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ghidra-heap-use-after-free-in-highvariable-merge-during-decompilation	Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/security/advisories/GHSA-8jqp-qv73-395r	Exploit Vendor Advisory

Configurations

Configuration 1 (hide)

cpe:2.3:a:nsa:ghidra:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

History

No history.

Information

Published : 2026-06-10 14:16

Updated : 2026-07-14 22:17

NVD link : CVE-2026-52757

Mitre link : CVE-2026-52757

CVE.ORG link : CVE-2026-52757

JSON object : View

Products Affected

nsa

ghidra

CWE

CWE-416

Use After Free

{"id": "CVE-2026-52757", "cveTags": [], "metrics": {"ssvcV203": [{"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0", "ssvcData": {"id": "CVE-2026-52757", "role": "CISA Coordinator", "options": [{"exploitation": "poc"}, {"automatable": "no"}, {"technicalImpact": "partial"}], "version": "2.0.3", "timestamp": "2026-06-10T16:19:56.398601Z"}}], "cvssMetricV31": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "cvssData": {"scope": "UNCHANGED", "version": "3.1", "baseScore": 4.4, "attackVector": "LOCAL", "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L", "integrityImpact": "LOW", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 2.5, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8}], "cvssMetricV40": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "cvssData": {"Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "version": "4.0", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "baseScore": 4.6, "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "userInteraction": "ACTIVE", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "NONE", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "LOW", "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "LOW", "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED"}}]}, "affected": [{"source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "affectedData": [{"repo": "https://github.com/nationalsecurityagency/ghidra", "vendor": "nationalsecurityagency", "product": "ghidra", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "0", "lessThan": "12.1", "versionType": "custom"}, {"status": "unaffected", "version": "12.1", "versionType": "custom"}], "packageURL": "pkg:github/nationalsecurityagency/ghidra", "defaultStatus": "unaffected"}]}], "published": "2026-06-10T14:16:36.027", "references": [{"url": "https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/security/advisories/GHSA-8jqp-qv73-395r", "tags": ["Exploit", "Vendor Advisory"], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}, {"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ghidra-heap-use-after-free-in-highvariable-merge-during-decompilation", "tags": ["Third Party Advisory"], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}, {"url": "https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/security/advisories/GHSA-8jqp-qv73-395r", "tags": ["Exploit", "Vendor Advisory"], "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0"}], "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "weaknesses": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-416"}]}], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "Ghidra before 12.1 contains a heap-use-after-free vulnerability in the decompiler's HighVariable::merge() function during the variable merging pass. Attackers can trigger this vulnerability by crafting a binary that causes stale pointers in the HighIntersectTest::highedgemap cache to be dereferenced, reading and writing the flags field of freed heap memory when a user opens the binary in Ghidra's decompiler view."}], "lastModified": "2026-07-14T22:17:14.260", "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:nsa:ghidra:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "vulnerable": true, "matchCriteriaId": "84A6A7C7-BC80-477A-B69D-700BF1208830", "versionEndExcluding": "12.1"}], "operator": "OR"}]}], "sourceIdentifier": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}