Moderate Vulnerability in gawk: Memory Corruption and Buffer Overflow Issues
Summary
RLSA-2026:73512: Moderate: gawk security update. Affects gawk versions < 0:5.1.0-6.el9_8.1. Fixed in 0:5.1.0-6.el9_8.1. How to fix ↓
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Background
The gawk package is the GNU implementation of awk, a powerful text processing utility that allows users to perform pattern matching and text reformatting tasks efficiently. It is widely used in various scripting and programming environments due to its versatility and ease of use. However, recent security updates have highlighted vulnerabilities that could potentially compromise the integrity and availability of systems utilizing this package.
Vulnerability Detail
The gawk package has been identified with several vulnerabilities that pose significant risks. These include a memory corruption issue due to an integer overflow (CVE-2026-40468), a buffer overflow in the ftype() routine that may lead to code execution or denial of service (CVE-2026-40553), and a denial of service vulnerability caused by a use-after-free condition in io.c (CVE-2026-40467). These vulnerabilities can allow attackers to exploit the gawk utility, potentially leading to unauthorized code execution or system crashes.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
0:5.1.0-6.el9_8.1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo dnf update gawkTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary measure, users may consider restricting access to the gawk utility or running it in a controlled environment where potential exploits can be mitigated. However, the most effective solution remains updating to the patched version.
Conclusion
The gawk package has critical vulnerabilities that require immediate attention. Users should update to the latest version to protect their systems from potential exploits. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and alert for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
See every vulnerability recorded for gawk →
FAQ
Gawk is the GNU implementation of awk, a programming language designed for text processing and pattern matching.
The vulnerabilities include memory corruption via integer overflow, buffer overflow leading to potential code execution, and denial of service due to a use-after-free condition.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
The CVSS score for the vulnerabilities in gawk is 6.2, indicating a moderate level of severity.
You can update gawk by running the command 'sudo dnf update gawk' in your terminal to install the patched version.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for gawk.
