Vulnerability Description
libexpat before 2.8.3 has an out-of-bounds read and resultant infinite loop because low surrogates are treated the same as high surrogates during Unicode processing in the *_toUtf16 functions.
CVSS Score
6.2
MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2053153
- https://github.com/libexpat/libexpat/pull/1296
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/11/5
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-72522?
CVE-2026-72522 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 6.2 (MEDIUM). libexpat before 2.8.3 has an out-of-bounds read and resultant infinite loop because low surrogates are treated the same as high surrogates during Unicode processing in the *_toUtf16 functions.
How severe is CVE-2026-72522?
CVE-2026-72522 has been rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 6.2/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-72522?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Review vendor security bulletins for remediation guidance.