# CVE-2026-97042: Linker flag injection via cgo_import_dynamic and PE DLL names in cmd/cgo, cmd/compile, and cmd/link - **Severity:** Not scored - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 11 Nov 2026 - **Updated:** 11 Nov 2026 - **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-97042, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97042, GHSA-jgj7-3254-vwmv, GO-2026-6849, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97042 ## What is CVE-2026-97042? CVE-2026-97042 is a vulnerability in cmd/cgo, published on 11 Nov 2026. ### Official description Building a malicious package that uses "//go:cgo_import_dynamic" or links against a crafted PE object on Windows could pass unsafe library arguments to the external linker. The compiler only checked the first character of the library name in "//go:cgo_import_dynamic" directives and skipped validation in cgo-generated files. In addition, on Windows, "cmd/cgo" and "cmd/link" did not validate imported DLL names extracted from PE object files before emitting "-l" flags for the external linker, allowing a crafted DLL name containing ".." path traversal or special characters to reference arbitrary files on disk. The compiler now validates every character of the library name in "//go:cgo_import_dynamic" directives (including in cgo-generated files on Windows) and rejects ".." path traversal, and "cmd/cgo" and "cmd/link" reject PE imported DLL names containing path separators, "..", ":", or leading "-" or "@". ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97042? 1 open source package ship an affected version, including toolchain. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `toolchain` | Go | All versions | 1.26.11, 1.27.4 | ## How do I fix CVE-2026-97042? Upgrade toolchain to a fixed version for your release line: 1.26.11 or 1.27.4. ## Is CVE-2026-97042 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97042 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2026-97042 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2026-97042 is a vulnerability in cmd/cgo, published on 11 Nov 2026. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97042 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - toolchain (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 1.26.11, 1.27.4 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-2026-97042/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97042/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97042 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97042 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97042 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97042/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.