CVE-2026-121997

Gdb: gdbserver: heap buffer overflow in cmd_qtdpsrc via qtdpsrc declared/actual length mismatch

Published Nov 5, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 8.1 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
A heap buffer overflow in gdbserver's QTDPsrc packet handler allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to achieve native code execution in the gdbserver process. The vulnerability results from a mismatch between a packet's declared source length and the actual data length, causing hex2bin to write beyond the allocated heap buffer.

Remediation

Vendor Workaround

There is no mitigation for this vulnerability. gdbserver has no authentication mechanism; exposure is limited only by network access to the gdbserver port. --- CME Mitigation Guidance (2026-11-06) --- Disclaimer: The following mitigation solutions are provided as a courtesy, pending the application of an official patch. This content was generated utilizing AI tools in conjunction with data from https://cmetaxonomy.org. Customers are advised to independently evaluate and test these temporary mitigations within their own infrastructure. The highest-value action is to restrict network access and block exposure of gdbserver listening ports to untrusted networks: upgrade to the corresponding fixed Red Hat builds, which apply the documented input check, closing all 2 injection vectors (malformed QTDPsrc packet with declared length smaller than payload length, qGetTLSAddr packet to invoke corrupted function pointer). Until patched, this is a concern on Linux systems running gdbserver with reachable listening ports, so restrict network access to exposed gdbserver ports via firewalls or network filtering, as gdbserver has no built-in authentication. As a compensating measure, Enable ASLR to randomize memory layout and hinder predicting target addresses to overwrite function pointers, Run SELinux in enforcing mode to confine gdbserver to a least-privilege domain, Isolate gdbserver within dedicated user, PID, network, and mount namespaces to restrict post-compromise impact, and Drop unnecessary POSIX capabilities from the gdbserver process bounding set to restrict privilege. These controls limit blast radius and contain exploitation, but they do not fix the underlying heap buffer overflow defect — apply the upstream patch to fully remediate. Highest-impact CME: CME-301 SELinux (Enforcing Mode) (medium)

Tracking

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Advisories

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History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Red Hat
Red Hat enterprise Linux
Redhat hardened Images
Vendors & Products Red Hat
Red Hat enterprise Linux
Redhat hardened Images
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A heap buffer overflow in gdbserver's QTDPsrc packet handler allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to achieve native code execution in the gdbserver process. The vulnerability results from a mismatch between a packet's declared source length and the actual data length, causing hex2bin to write beyond the allocated heap buffer.
Title Gdb: gdbserver: heap buffer overflow in cmd_qtdpsrc via qtdpsrc declared/actual length mismatch
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Redhat hummingbird
Redhat rhel Els
Weaknesses CWE-122
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:10
cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8
cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
cpe:/a:redhat:hummingbird:1
cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:6
cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:7
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Redhat hummingbird
Redhat rhel Els
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
redhat
Published
Updated
Nov 6, 2026, 7:55 PM
Reserved
Nov 4, 2026, 1:28 PM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
Nov 5, 2026, 5:18 PM
Modified
Nov 6, 2026, 5:18 AM
Severity
Important
Public date
Nov 5, 2026, 2:29 PM