Description
The malloc function in the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) 2.26 could return a memory block that is too small if an attempt is made to allocate an object whose size is close to SIZE_MAX, potentially leading to a subsequent heap overflow. This occurs because the per-thread cache (aka tcache) feature enables a code path that lacks an integer overflow check.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | glibc | 2.23-0ubuntu10 | USN-3534-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | eglibc | 2.19-0ubuntu6.14 | USN-3534-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | glibc | 2.34-1.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10792-1 |
Advisories 2
- USN-3534-1 eglibc, glibc vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10792-1 glibc-2.34-1.2 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026