Medium severity · published Jun 10, 2026
CVE-2026-52757
Ghidra < 12.1 - Heap-use-after-free in HighVariable::merge() during decompilation
4.4
CVSS
0.1%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
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.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.1% · higher than 4% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
GH
ghidra · nationalsecurityagency
before 12.1 · source: vendor, NVD
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-52757
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-52757
Exploit
https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/security/advisories/GHSA-8jqp-qv73-395r
Third Party Advisory
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ghidra-heap-use-after-free-in-highvariable-merge-during-decompilation
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