CVE-2026-42512

Remotely triggerable out-of-bounds heap write in dhclient

Published Apr 30, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 8.1 High EPSS 1.4% KEV · Not listed
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.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

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'}

ssvc

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

Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:beta3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p10:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p11:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p12:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p7:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p8:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:13.5:p9:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p10:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p11:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p7:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p8:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.3:p9:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.4:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.4:p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.4:p2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:14.4:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:15.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:15.0:p1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:15.0:p2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:15.0:p3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:15.0:p4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:15.0:p5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd:15.0:p6:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Freebsd
Freebsd freebsd
Vendors & Products Freebsd
Freebsd freebsd
Type Values Removed Values Added
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.
Title Remotely triggerable out-of-bounds heap write in dhclient
Weaknesses CWE-122
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
freebsd
Published
Updated
May 1, 2026, 3:26 PM
Reserved
Apr 28, 2026, 5:31 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Apr 30, 2026, 9:16 AM
Modified
Nov 11, 2026, 9:10 PM