Description
A use-of-uninitialized memory vulnerability exists in libxls 1.6.3 when parsing malformed XLS files. The issue is reachable via xls_parseWorkBook() and is triggered by uninitialized heap memory originating from the OLE layer (ole2_read). The flaw is detectable with MemorySanitizer (MSAN) and can lead to undefined behavior, incorrect parsing logic, or potential information disclosure.
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.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | r-cran-readxl | 1.6.0-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.10 | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | r-cran-readxl | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | libxls | 1.6.4-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:12110-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | libxls | 1.6.4-bp160.1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:22128-1 |
Advisories 2
- openSUSE-SU-2026:22128-1 Security update for libxls SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Oct 20, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:12110-1 libxls-devel-1.6.4-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Oct 13, 2026