CVE-2026-14788 in radare2
Summary
by MITRE • 07/06/2026
A security vulnerability has been detected in radareorg radare2 up to 6.1.6. Affected by this vulnerability is the function r_core_bin_load of the file libr/core/cfile.c. Such manipulation leads to use after free. The attack needs to be performed locally. The exploit has been disclosed publicly and may be used. The name of the patch is 635ab1eeb30340c26076722a90cb91fb2272130b. Applying a patch is advised to resolve this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2026
The vulnerability in radareorg radare2 version 6.1.6 and earlier represents a critical use after free condition within the r_core_bin_load function located in libr/core/cfile.c. This flaw arises from improper memory management where freed memory blocks are still being accessed or referenced, creating potential avenues for malicious exploitation. The vulnerability specifically impacts the core binary loading functionality of the radare2 reverse engineering framework, which is widely utilized by security researchers and developers for analyzing binary files and debugging applications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from a classic memory safety issue where the function fails to properly handle memory deallocation and subsequent access patterns. When processing binary files through the core loading mechanism, the r_core_bin_load function does not adequately validate or manage references to previously freed memory segments, leading to potential arbitrary code execution or system instability. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-416 which specifically addresses use after free conditions in software development practices. The local attack requirement means that exploitation necessitates physical access or execution privileges on the target system, though this limitation does not diminish the severity of the potential impact.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple system instability to encompass potential security breaches and data compromise scenarios. Since radare2 is frequently employed in security research, penetration testing, and malware analysis activities, an attacker who gains local access could leverage this use after free condition to execute malicious code with the privileges of the running radare2 process. This capability could enable attackers to bypass security controls, escalate privileges, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive information within the target environment. The public disclosure of exploitation techniques further amplifies the risk, as it provides adversaries with readily available methods to exploit this vulnerability without requiring advanced development skills.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patch application using the referenced commit identifier 635ab1eeb30340c26076722a90cb91fb2272130b which contains the necessary code modifications to resolve the memory management issue. System administrators and security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of affected radare2 installations within their environments. Additionally, implementing additional runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries may provide supplementary defense-in-depth measures. Organizations utilizing radare2 in security-critical operations should consider maintaining updated versions with proper memory validation controls and regularly monitoring for security advisories related to this framework. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, highlighting the potential for both local execution and privilege escalation scenarios that require immediate remediation efforts.