CVE-2026-44028 — Uncontrolled Recursion in Lix Project Lix
An issue was discovered in Nix before 2.34.7 and Lix before 2.95.2. Unbounded recursion in the NAR (Nix Archive) parser could lead to a stack-to-heap overflow when the parser is run on a coroutine stack. The stack is allocated without a guard page, which means that a stack overflow could overwrite memory on the heap and could allow arbitrary code execution as the Nix daemon (run as root in multi-user installations) if ASLR hardening is bypassed. This can be exploited by all users able to connect to the daemon (e.g., in Nix, this is configurable via the allowed-users setting, defaulting to all users). The fixed versions are 2.34.7, 2.33.6, 2.32.8, 2.31.5, 2.30.5, 2.29.4, and 2.28.7 for Nix (introduced in 2.24.4); and 2.95.2, 2.94.2, and 2.93.4 for Lix (introduced in 2.93.0).
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Lix Project Lix, Nixos Nix).
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (denial of service), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lix Project | Lix | ≥ 2.93.0 and < 2.93.4≥ 2.94.0 and < 2.94.2≥ 2.95.0 and < 2.95.2 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Nixos | Nix | ≥ 2.24.4 and < 2.28.7≥ 2.29.0 and < 2.29.4≥ 2.30.0 and < 2.30.5≥ 2.31.0 and < 2.31.5≥ 2.32.0 and < 2.32.8≥ 2.33.0 and < 2.33.6≥ 2.34.0 and < 2.34.7 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.1 | 5.8 | cve@mitre.org via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | mitre via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N (score shown at the top: cve@mitre.org) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 15, 2026 · 3 reading(s) · max 0.18%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Track CPU/memory spikes and availability drops correlated with request patterns.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · nixos/nix, lix project/lix
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- CVSS changed · 7.5
- Source status changed · → Deferred
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
5 on the record
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/04/32
- lix.systems/blog/2026-05-05-lix-unsigned-integer-overflow/
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/04/33
- discourse.nixos.org/t/security-advisory-local-privilege-escalation-in-lix-and-nix/77407
- github.com/NixOS/nix/security/advisories/GHSA-vh5x-56v6-4368
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Medium CVE-2026-110451 Incorrect Authorization in Nixos Nix 1d
- Medium CVE-2026-110452 The multi-user installer in Nix before 2.35.3 sets the ownership of store contents to… 1d
- Medium CVE-2026-110453 Incorrect Authorization in Nixos Nix 1d
- High CVE-2026-110450 Nix before 2.35.3 and Lix before 2.95.4 allow privilege escalation via a repair… 1d
- High CVE-2026-110449 Integer Overflow or Wraparound in Nixos Nix 1d
- Low CVE-2026-64846 Nix: Arbitrary file truncation outside the sandbox with recursive-nix experimental feature Aug 20, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-44028 is "Uncontrolled Recursion in Lix Project Lix", rated High. It affects Lix (Lix Project); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.18% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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