CVE catalog
CVE-2026-26825
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 origin
- Severity
- Medium · CVSS 5.3
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N - Published
- Source
- [NVD] · [CVE record]
- EPSS
- 0.24% · Oct 25, 2026
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.
Vulnerable and fixed packages
Distribution-reported package versions and fixes. These do not depend on matching against the OpenFactory package catalog.
| Distribution | Package | Release | Version | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | r-cran-readxl | sid | 1.6.0-1 | fixed |
| Debian | r-cran-readxl | forky | 1.6.0-1 | fixed |
| Debian | r-cran-readxl | trixie | 1.4.5-1 | vulnerable |
| Debian | r-cran-readxl | bookworm | 1.4.2-1 | vulnerable |
| Cpe | r-cran-readxl | Not reported | Not reported | vulnerable |
| Cpe | libxls | Not reported | Not reported | unknown |
| Cpe | libxls | Not reported | Not reported | unknown |
| Opensuse | libxls | tumbleweed | 1.6.4-1.1 | fixed |
Fixed-version evidence
| Distribution | Package | Type | Release | Fixed version | Urgency | Origin | Bugs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | r-cran-readxl | source | sid | 1.6.0-1 | not yet assigned | Not reported | [1139808] |
| Debian | r-cran-readxl | source | forky | 1.6.0-1 | not yet assigned | Not reported | [1139808] |
| Debian | r-cran-readxl | source | trixie | (unfixed) | not yet assigned | Not reported | [1139808] |
| Debian | r-cran-readxl | source | bookworm | (unfixed) | not yet assigned | Not reported | [1139808] |
| Opensuse | libxls | rpm | tumbleweed | 1.6.4-1.1 | Not reported | OPENSUSE-SU-2026:12110-1 | Not reported |
Notes
[trixie] r-cran-readxl: Minor issue [bookworm] r-cran-readxl: Minor issue; uninitialized heap from the bundled libxls OLE layer reaches xls_parseWorkBook(), only via an attacker-supplied .xls; unfixed upstream
OpenFactory catalog packages
[Debian 12 (Bookworm)]
- [r-cran-readxl]Affected
Details (2)
1.4.2-1· amd64 · bookwormAffected
nvd · r-cran-readxl · debian · bookworm; nvd · r-cran-readxl · debian · 12
1.4.2-1· arm64 · bookwormAffected
nvd · r-cran-readxl · debian · bookworm; nvd · r-cran-readxl · debian · 12
[Debian 13 (Trixie)]
- [r-cran-readxl]Affected
Details (2)
1.4.5-1· amd64 · trixieAffected
nvd · r-cran-readxl · debian · 13
1.4.5-1· arm64 · trixieAffected
nvd · r-cran-readxl · debian · 13
[openSUSE Tumbleweed]
- [libxls-devel]Unknown
Source package: [libxls]
Details (1)
1.6.3-1.6· x86_64 · tumbleweedUnknown · Fixed:
1.6.4-1.1Version impact unknown
nvd · libxls · opensuse · tumbleweed
- [libxlsreader8]Unknown
Source package: [libxls]
Details (1)
1.6.3-1.6· x86_64 · tumbleweedUnknown · Fixed:
1.6.4-1.1Version impact unknown
nvd · libxls · opensuse · tumbleweed
- [libxls-tools]Unknown
Source package: [libxls]
Details (1)
1.6.3-1.6· x86_64 · tumbleweedUnknown · Fixed:
1.6.4-1.1Version impact unknown
nvd · libxls · opensuse · tumbleweed
Observed:
References
- [https://ftp.suse.com/pub/projects/security/csaf/opensuse-su-2026_12110-1.json]
- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26825]
- [https://osv.dev/vulnerability/DEBIAN-CVE-2026-26825]
- [https://osv.dev/vulnerability/openSUSE-SU-2026:12110-1]
- [https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-26825]
- [https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-26825.json]
[Debian Security Tracker] · [FIRST EPSS] · [National Vulnerability Database (NVD)] · [OSV Package Vulnerability Database] · [Red Hat security advisories and VEX] · [SUSE security advisories and VEX]