CVE-2026-54522 — MessagePack::Buffer#clear Use-After-Free that Enables Cross-Buffer Disclosure
MessagePack for Ruby is an implementation of the MessagePack binary serialization format. Prior to 1.8.2, MessagePack::Buffer#clear in ext/msgpack/buffer.c leaves rmem_last, rmem_end, and rmem_owner stale after _msgpack_buffer_shift_chunk returns an rmem page to the shared pool, allowing a subsequent Buffer#write and a second MessagePack::Buffer to alias the page and disclose or corrupt cross-buffer data. This issue is fixed in version 1.8.2.
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
- Technical severity (medium)+3
- CISA SSVC: exploitation "poc"+5
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.
- Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
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 (Msgpack Messagepack, Msgpack Msgpack-ruby).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Msgpack | Messagepack | < 1.8.2 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Msgpack | Msgpack-ruby | version < 1.8.2 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | CVSS 4.0 | Low | — | — | security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 2.1 | CVSS 4.0 | Low | — | — | GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 5.4 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 2.8 | 2.5 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · msgpack/msgpack-ruby
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 5.4
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
2 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-57585 MessagePack: Out-of-bounds read/crash on Unpacker reuse after caught error Jun 30, 2026
- High CVE-2026-21452 MessagePack-Java Vulnerable to Remote Denial of Service via Malicious .msgpack Model File Triggering Unbounded EXT Payload Allocation Jan 2, 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 FIRST EPSS score.
- 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-2026-54522 is "MessagePack::Buffer#clear Use-After-Free that Enables Cross-Buffer Disclosure", rated Medium. It affects Messagepack (Msgpack); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.4 describes technical severity. 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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