CVE-2026-88842
Busybox: busybox: dpkg stale field_start pointer causes out-of-bounds read and status file corruption
Description
A flaw was found in BusyBox dpkg. The write_status_file() function does not reset a field cursor between package stanzas. When two packages are removed in a single invocation and the first stanza is larger than the second, the second package stanza can be dropped from the status file, causing limited data corruption.
INFO
Published Date :
Oct. 14, 2026, 11:17 a.m.
Last Modified :
Oct. 14, 2026, 11:17 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
[email protected]
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 3.1 | LOW | 53f830b8-0a3f-465b-8143-3b8a9948e749 | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | LOW | MITRE-CVE | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | LOW | [email protected] |
Solution
- Update BusyBox to a version that fixes the write_status_file() issue.
- Verify package status files after updates.
- Review BusyBox code for similar cursor handling errors.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-88842.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-88842 | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2531355 |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-88842 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-88842
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-88842 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-88842 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Oct. 14, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description A flaw was found in BusyBox dpkg. The write_status_file() function does not reset a field cursor between package stanzas. When two packages are removed in a single invocation and the first stanza is larger than the second, the second package stanza can be dropped from the status file, causing limited data corruption. Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N Added CWE CWE-125 Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/88xxx/CVE-2026-88842.json">CVE-2026-88842</a> Added Reference https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-88842 Added Reference https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2531355 -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Oct. 14, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-88842', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'partial'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-10-14T10:52:03.773503Z'}