CVE-2026-49035 in libIEC61850
Summary
by MITRE • 07/24/2026
The affected product is vulnerable to a heap-based buffer overflow via a crafted MMS Initiate request. Remote code execution (RCE) has been demonstrated when ASLR is disabled; memory corruption or denial of service may occur in configurations where ASLR is enabled.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw that specifically targets implementations handling MMS Initiate requests within affected products. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and bounds checking when processing malformed MMS protocol messages, creating an exploitable condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory regions in the heap allocation space. The technical implementation involves the product's failure to properly validate the length and content of incoming MMS Initiate payloads, allowing malicious actors to craft specially formatted requests that exceed allocated buffer boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple security domains and attack vectors. When Address Space Layout Randomization is disabled on the target system, successful exploitation can lead to full remote code execution where attackers gain complete control over the vulnerable application or system. This represents a severe privilege escalation risk that aligns with CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow conditions and follows attack patterns consistent with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1059 command and scripting interpreter techniques. The vulnerability can be leveraged for persistent access, data exfiltration, or further network compromise through lateral movement.
In configurations where ASLR remains enabled, the vulnerability still presents significant operational risks including memory corruption that can result in application crashes or denial of service conditions. While the attack surface is reduced compared to scenarios with disabled ASLR, the vulnerability maintains its potential for causing system instability and availability disruption. The heap corruption can manifest as unpredictable application behavior, segmentation faults, or complete system hang states that impact service availability. This scenario demonstrates how modern exploit mitigation techniques like ASLR can reduce but not eliminate vulnerability exploitation risks.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected implementations and comprehensive security hardening measures. Organizations must implement network segmentation to limit exposure to MMS traffic, deploy intrusion detection systems capable of identifying malformed MMS Initiate requests, and establish robust monitoring for unusual application behavior patterns. The vulnerability's characteristics align with CWE-787 out-of-bounds write conditions that require strict input validation controls and proper memory management practices. Security teams should also consider implementing exploit prevention measures such as stack canaries, non-executable memory protections, and code integrity verification to reduce the effectiveness of potential exploitation attempts.