# CVE-2026-86098: ntop nDPI before 6.0 Heap Buffer Overflow via ndpi_json_string_escape

> Attackers can trigger heap buffer overflow in ntop nDPI via crafted network packets, potentially leading to code execution or denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 8.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 4 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-99945, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-86098, GHSA-c8vx-3h2j-4f8m, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-86098

## What is CVE-2026-86098?

CVE-2026-86098 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in ntop nDPI, published on 4 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ntop nDPI versions before 6.0 contain a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in the ndpi_json_string_escape function that writes beyond caller-supplied buffer boundaries. Attackers can trigger the overflow by supplying crafted network packet data including TLS SNI, HTTP headers, or DNS names that reach the vulnerable function, causing heap corruption.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-86098?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-86098?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-86098 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-86098 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-86098 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-86098 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in ntop nDPI, published on 4 Sep 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-2026-86098 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: ntop nDPI. 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-2026-86098/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-86098/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-86098
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86098
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-86098

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-86098/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.