CVE-2026-45250 Stack buffer overflow via setcred(2)
An unprivileged local user can trigger a stack buffer overflow in the setcred system call to execute arbitrary code and gain kernel privileges.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-45250?
CVE-2026-45250 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 21 May 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
The setcred(2) system call is only available to privileged users. However, before the privilege level of the caller is checked, the user-supplied list of supplementary groups is copied into a fixed-size kernel stack buffer without first validating its length. If the supplied list exceeds the capacity of that buffer, a stack buffer overflow occurs.
Because the bounds check on the supplementary groups list occurs after the kernel stack buffer has already been written, an unprivileged local user may trigger the overflow without holding any special privilege. Successful exploitation may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the kernel, allowing an unprivileged local user to gain elevated privileges on the affected system.
Weakness: CWE-121
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-45250?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Freebsd Freebsd.
How do I fix CVE-2026-45250?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-45250 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2026-45250 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-45250 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Public exploit code: 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Other vulnerabilities in Freebsd Freebsd
Sources
Also known as GHSA-qr94-c32q-xh3q.