# CVE-2025-15281: wordexp with WRDE_REUSE and WRDE_APPEND may return uninitialized memory > Attackers can read uninitialized memory or cause process aborts via wordexp with WRDE_REUSE and WRDE_APPEND flags in glibc. - **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 20 Jan 2026 - **Updated:** 22 Jan 2026 - **Also known as:** AZL-74819, AZL-75023, BELL-CVE-2025-15281, CLSA-2026-1772186153, CLSA-2026-1773827924, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-15281, ECHO-e3dc-79c7-c66d, GHSA-qg56-4cfq-w9w3, MINI-6qr7-g6wx-2wpx, MINI-hmhm-7x5m-x9pf, MINI-phc3-7qpg-76g2, OESA-2026-1265, OESA-2026-1359, OESA-2026-1360, OESA-2026-1361, OESA-2026-1362, RHSA-2026:18139, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-15281 ## What is CVE-2025-15281? CVE-2025-15281 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnu Glibc, published on 20 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description Calling wordexp with WRDE_REUSE in conjunction with WRDE_APPEND in the GNU C Library version 2.0 to version 2.42 may cause the interface to return uninitialized memory in the we_wordv member, which on subsequent calls to wordfree may abort the process. Weakness: CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-15281? It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `glibc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-all-langpacks` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-benchtests` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-benchtests-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-common-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-gconv-extra` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-gconv-extra-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-aa` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-af` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-agr` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-ak` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-am` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-an` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-anp` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-ar` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-as` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-ast` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-ayc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-az` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-be` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-bem` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-ber` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-bg` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-bhb` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-bho` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-bi` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-bn` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-bo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-br` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-brx` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-bs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-byn` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-ca` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-ce` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | | `glibc-langpack-chr` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 0:2.39-113.el10 | Products: Gnu Glibc. ## How do I fix CVE-2025-15281? Upgrade to a fixed version. ## Is CVE-2025-15281 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-15281 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Gnu Glibc - [CVE-2026-5450](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5450/): scanf %mc off-by-one heap buffer overflow (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2023-25139](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25139/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8) - [CVE-1999-0199](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0199/): Other in n/a (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2019-1010022](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1010022/): Security feature bypass in glibc (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2005-3590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-3590/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2025-15281 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2025-15281 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnu Glibc, published on 20 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-15281 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: Gnu Glibc. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page. Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-15281/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-15281/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-15281 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-15281 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-15281 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-15281/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.