Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- A structured source references public exploit or proof-of-concept material.
- EPSS is 0.64% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2026
CVE-2026-41401High confidence
libyang - Heap Use-After-Free Write in XML Metadata Parsing
libyang · libyang
Official source article: GitHub GHSA-9F49-8X56-JMJC ↗. Check the applicable product and release in the original source.
6.9MediumCVSS 4.0
Patch only the product branches with a verified fix
Fix availability varies by productMedium technical severity with public exploit material referenced by a structured source; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 14 structured product or package states remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityMedium→Operational priority:High, raised one band.upgradedsince 26 May 2026
Compensating controls
- Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
- Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
- Increase monitoring for the attack path and post-exploitation behaviour described in the report.
Verification
- Confirm that the asset runs libyang libyang and falls inside the recorded affected range.
- Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
- Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
- Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Remediation availability differs by product scope
Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 14 structured product or package states remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
- Red Hat Product Security: 10 affected or under-investigation product states without a fixed product state in the same current advisory
- Debian Security Tracker: 4 affected package states with no published fix
Distribution package intelligence
4 package statesRelease-specific package status
Debian findings are scoped to the named distribution, release and source package. An absent finding does not mean a package is unaffected.
Package result overrides the generic status
BlackTree has verified remediation for at least one product or source, but the relevant distribution still reports no fixed package for 4 affected package states shown here. Treat those rows as affected with no fix until that distribution publishes a fixed version.
Repository candidate not checked
A published vendor fix does not prove that a matching update is enabled and installable on a particular asset. Confirm the local package candidate before scheduling remediation.
| Distribution release | Source package | Vendor state | Fixed version | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian trixietrixie · source | libyang | Affected, no fix publishedDebian currently tracks this release as open. | Not published in this feed | Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026 |
| Debian bookwormbookworm · source | libyang2 | Affected, no fix publishedDebian currently tracks this release as open. | Not published in this feed | Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026 |
| Debian forkyforky · source | libyang | Affected, no fix publishedDebian currently tracks this release as open. | Not published in this feed | Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026 |
| Debian sidsid · source | libyang | Affected, no fix publishedDebian currently tracks this release as open. | Not published in this feed | Debian Security Tracker ↗Source updated 5 Oct 2026 |
Direct vendor intelligence
1 currentAuthoritative vendor CSAF and VEX advisories
Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.
CVE-2026-41401 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 3 · finalRed Hat Product Securitylibyang: libyang: Potential code execution via crafted YANG XML documents
The vendor explicitly identifies these products as affected by this CVE.
- libyang as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- libyang-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- libyang-devel-doc as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- libyang.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- libyang as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- libyang.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- libyang as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- libyang-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- libyang-devel-doc as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- libyang.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Summary
- A flaw was found in libyang. This heap use-after-free write vulnerability, specifically within the lyd_parser_set_data_flags function, occurs when the software incorrectly updates metadata list pointers during the freeing of non-head default metadata entries. A remote attacker can exploit this by submitting specially crafted YANG XML documents containing specific metadata attributes to applications that parse untrusted XML data. Successful exploitation could lead to application process to crash.
- Remediation
- Red Hat is not aware of a practical temporary workaround that fully mitigates this issue or meets Red Hat Product Security's standards for usability, deployment, applicability, or stability.
Medium technical severity with public exploit material referenced by a structured source; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 14 structured product or package states remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
Fix availability varies by product01
What, why and how
libyang before 5.2.6 contains a heap use-after-free write vulnerability in lyd_parser_set_data_flags that incorrectly updates metadata list pointers when freeing non-head default metadata entries. Attackers can trigger this vulnerability by submitting crafted YANG XML documents with specific metadata attributes to applications parsing untrusted XML data, causing process crashes or potential code execution.
What
libyang before 5.2.6 contains a heap use-after-free write vulnerability in lyd_parser_set_data_flags that incorrectly updates metadata list pointers when freeing non-head default metadata entries. Attackers can trigger this vulnerability by submitting crafted YANG XML documents with specific metadata attributes to applications parsing untrusted XML data, causing process crashes or potential code execution.
Why
The program can continue using memory after it has been released, producing unsafe and attacker-influenceable behaviour.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
What
libyang before 5.2.6 contains a heap use-after-free write vulnerability in lyd_parser_set_data_flags that incorrectly updates metadata list pointers when freeing non-head default metadata entries. Attackers can trigger this vulnerability by submitting crafted YANG XML documents with specific metadata attributes to applications parsing untrusted XML data, causing process crashes or potential code execution.
Why
The program can continue using memory after it has been released, producing unsafe and attacker-influenceable behaviour.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation No confirmed evidence
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material Reference recorded
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.CISA Vulnrichment records proof-of-concept exploitation in its SSVC data. BlackTree has not independently executed or validated exploit material.
- Likely attack path
- a network path → Use After Free → disrupt the affected service
- Attack surface
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low: a basic authenticated account is required
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
- Security boundary
- Not a CVSS 4.0 base metric
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-416 ↗
CWE-416: Use After Free. The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NCommon Vulnerability Scoring System 4.0: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.ATNoneAttack requirements: No additional deployment or execution condition is required.PRLowPrivileges required: The attacker needs basic user-level privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.VCNoneVulnerable-system confidentiality: No direct loss is represented by this metric.VINoneVulnerable-system integrity: No direct loss is represented by this metric.VAHighVulnerable-system availability: A successful attack can cause a major loss.SCNoneSubsequent-system confidentiality: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SINoneSubsequent-system integrity: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SANoneSubsequent-system availability: No direct loss is represented by this metric.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
03
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Fix availability varies by product
- Affected
- libyang as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- libyang-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- libyang-devel-doc as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- libyang.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- libyang as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- libyang.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- libyang as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- libyang-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- libyang-devel-doc as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- libyang.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Fixed
- libyang: 5.4.3
- Action
- Use the product-specific evidence above. Patch only products with a verified fixed release, and keep every affected or under-investigation state without a matching fix in the remediation queue.
- Workaround
- Red Hat is not aware of a practical temporary workaround that fully mitigates this issue or meets Red Hat Product Security's standards for usability, deployment, applicability, or stability.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 26 May 2026 · Last source change 26 May 2026, 17:58 UTC · CWE-416 · Use After Free
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.2
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-31832
Product sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD not scheduled
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Material change intelligence
View recent updates ↗What changed after publication
No material field changes have been recorded since change tracking began. Routine source refreshes and cosmetic edits are intentionally excluded.
CVE published
Fixed release or patch reference recorded
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.