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CVE-2026-0988: Peeking Into The Void: The GLib Integer Overflow

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Peeking Into The Void: The GLib Integer Overflow

Vulnerability ID: CVE-2026-0988
CVSS Score: 3.7
Published: 2026-01-21

GLib is the silent workhorse of the Linux ecosystem, underpinning GNOME, QEMU, and countless other critical systems. When a crack appears in such a foundational library, the tremors are felt everywhere. CVE-2026-0988 is a classic, nasty integer overflow within the GIO module's GBufferedInputStream. It transforms a harmless 'peek' operation into a catastrophic buffer overflow. While the CVSS score is deceptively low due to complexity, the mechanism is a masterclass in how simple arithmetic errors can lead to total memory corruption. This isn't just a crash; it's a lesson in why C remains the most dangerous language on the planet.

TL;DR

Integer overflow in GLib's GIO module allows attackers to trick g_buffered_input_stream_peek into a massive heap buffer overflow via crafted offset and count parameters.

Technical Details

  • CWE ID: CWE-190
  • Attack Vector: Local / Context Dependent
  • CVSS: 3.7 (Low)
  • Impact: Denial of Service / Potential RCE
  • Exploit Status: PoC Not Public / Theoretical
  • EPSS Score: 0.05%

Affected Systems

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS, 25.10
  • Debian-based systems using GLib
  • GNOME Desktop Environment
  • Applications using GIO for stream parsing
  • GLib (libglib2.0): < 2.86.0-2ubuntu0.2 (Ubuntu 25.10) (Fixed in: 2.86.0-2ubuntu0.2)
  • GLib (libglib2.0): < 2.80.0-6ubuntu3.7 (Ubuntu 24.04) (Fixed in: 2.80.0-6ubuntu3.7)

Mitigation Strategies

  • Update libglib2.0 to the latest patched version immediately.
  • Restart all services or reboot the system to reload the shared library.
  • Implement strict validation on offset and count parameters in application code before calling GIO functions.

Remediation Steps:

  1. Identify vulnerable systems using package managers (rpm/dpkg).
  2. Apply vendor patches (e.g., USN-7971-1).
  3. If patching is impossible, audit custom code to ensure peek is not called with user-controlled offsets.

References

Read the full report for CVE-2026-0988 on our website for more details including interactive diagrams and full exploit analysis.

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