CVE-2026-14757: Integer Overflow in Radare2 Core Analysis Function

Technical summary

CVE-2026-14757 is an integer overflow vulnerability in the core_anal_bytes function within libr/core/cmd_anal.inc in radare2 up to version 6.1.6. Integer overflows in analysis routines can lead to buffer overruns, incorrect memory calculations, or out-of-bounds access. The vulnerability maps to CWE-189 (Numeric Errors) and CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound), indicating that unsafe integer arithmetic during command analysis is the root cause. Exploitation requires local system access and standard user privileges, with no special interaction or social engineering needed once an attacker is on the system.

Business impact

For organizations using radare2 in security research, malware analysis, or reverse engineering workflows, this vulnerability creates a local privilege escalation or code execution risk if untrusted binaries or analysis tasks are performed by lower-privileged users. Compromised analysis environments could allow attackers to escape the radare2 sandbox or corrupt analysis results, potentially leading to missed malware signatures or incorrect threat intelligence. However, radare2 is typically used in isolated lab or analyst workstations rather than production infrastructure, limiting widespread enterprise exposure. Teams relying on radare2 for critical threat hunting should prioritize patching to maintain integrity of analysis workflows.

Affected systems

Radare2 versions up to and including 6.1.6 are affected. The vulnerability applies across all operating systems where radare2 runs (Linux, macOS, Windows, etc.), as the flaw exists in core shared analysis code. Any organization running unpatched radare2 instances—whether in dedicated malware labs, forensics workstations, or developer reverse engineering environments—should inventory those deployments. Verify your installed version using 'radare2 -v' or check your package manager's version tracking.

Exploitability

The attack vector is local-only, meaning an attacker must already have user-level access to the affected system. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.3 (Medium) reflects this constraint: while the vulnerability is easily triggered once access is gained (no complex exploitation steps required), the prerequisite of local authentication significantly reduces the threat surface. Public disclosure increases awareness but does not automatically translate to widespread exploitation in air-gapped analysis labs. Exploitation does not require administrator rights, only standard user privileges, making it a concern in multi-tenant or shared analysis environments.

Remediation

Upgrade radare2 to a patched version released after 6.1.6. Check the official radare2 GitHub repository (github.com/radareorg/radare2) for the latest stable release or security advisories specifying the fix version. Binary distributions may also be available through your Linux distribution's package manager; verify that updated packages are available for your platform. If you cannot immediately upgrade, restrict local access to radare2 systems to trusted analysts only and monitor for suspicious process behavior or crashes during analysis sessions.

Patch guidance

Consult the official radare2 project for the specific patched version addressing CVE-2026-14757; this should be documented in their security advisories or release notes published after July 2026. Most users should pull the latest stable release from the official GitHub repository or wait for their distribution's security update. Organizations with formal change management should test the patched version in a non-production lab environment first, especially if radare2 integrates with automated analysis pipelines. After patching, confirm the fix by running 'radare2 -v' and reviewing release notes for any related configuration changes.

Detection guidance

Monitor radare2 processes for crashes or abnormal termination, particularly when analyzing untrusted or malformed binaries—integer overflow bugs often manifest as segmentation faults or memory access violations. Log analysis function calls and their inputs if your environment supports application-level logging. If you suspect exploitation, examine system logs for unexpected local access attempts or privilege escalation events on the affected machine. Memory sanitizers (e.g., AddressSanitizer) can be enabled at build time to catch integer overflow conditions during development or testing. Intrusion detection rules may not easily catch this local flaw unless you monitor for radare2 crash patterns or core dumps.

Why prioritize this

Although the CVSS score is Medium (5.3) and exploitation requires local access, the public disclosure status and presence in security research tools warrant timely attention. Prioritize patching if radare2 is used in shared lab environments or if analysis results directly inform production security decisions. Teams with isolated, single-user analyst workstations can defer patching slightly but should not ignore it indefinitely. The low complexity of the attack (AC:L) means that once an attacker gains local access, exploitation is straightforward.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.3 (Medium) reflects a local-only attack vector with standard user privileges, no user interaction required, and limited scope (impacts only the affected process). The confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are each rated as Low (L), indicating that successful exploitation does not lead to complete system compromise but rather to localized memory corruption or information disclosure. This moderate rating is appropriate for a malware analysis tool used in isolated environments; the risk would be considerably higher if the flaw affected network-facing services or privileged daemons.

Frequently asked questions