Ghidra < 12.1 - Heap-use-after-free in HighVariable::merge() during decompilation
CVE-2026-52757

4.6MEDIUM

Key Information:

Vendor

Nationalsecurityagency

Status
Ghidra
Vendor
CVE Published:
10 June 2026

What is CVE-2026-52757?

Ghidra before 12.1 contains a heap-use-after-free vulnerability in the decompiler's HighVariable::merge() function during the variable merging pass. Attackers can trigger this vulnerability by crafting a binary that causes stale pointers in the HighIntersectTest::highedgemap cache to be dereferenced, reading and writing the flags field of freed heap memory when a user opens the binary in Ghidra's decompiler view.

Affected Version(s)

ghidra 0 < 12.1

ghidra 12.1

References

https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/security...
vendor-advisory
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ghidra-heap-use-afte...
third-party-advisory

CVSS V4

Score:
4.6
Severity:
MEDIUM
Confidentiality:
None
Integrity:
Low
Availability:
Low
Attack Vector:
Local
Attack Complexity:
Low
Attack Required:
None
Privileges Required:
Undefined
User Interaction:
Unknown

Timeline

  • Vulnerability published

  • Vulnerability Reserved

Credit

Apple Security Engineering and Architecture (SEAR)
.