Heap-based buffer overflow in Sound Exchange libsox
Priority HIGH 79CWE-122Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Will not fix Red Hat: no fix planned
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-122 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the sphere.c start_read() functionality of Sound Exchange libsox 14.4.2 and master commit 42b3557e. A specially-crafted file can lead to a heap buffer overflow. An attacker can provide a malicious file to trigger this vulnerability.
Why it matters now
Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.02052 81st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Will not fix Red Hat: no fix planned
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Exchange | libsox | 14.4.2; master commit 42b3557e | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- libsox VendorSound Exchange Affected 14.4.2; master commit 42b3557e Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:sound_exchange_project:sound_exchange:14.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 14.4.2 | Vulnerable | Sound Exchange Project |
- cpe:2.3:a:sound_exchange_project:sound_exchange:14.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 14.4.2 Vulnerable ·Sound Exchange Project
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-40426
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5x4j-m9qh-g9w5
References
More Sound Exchange Project Sound Exchange vulnerabilities
- TI-2014-06760 Multiple heap-based buffer overflows in Sound eXchange (SoX) 14.4.1 and earlier allow… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2021-02588 Out-of-bounds read in sox CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2017-13374 In the startread function in xa.c in Sound eXchange (SoX) through 14.4.2, a corrupt… CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-17258 Heap-buffer-overflow in src/formats_i.c CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2023-17151 Heap-buffer-overflow in src/hcom.c CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2017-08396 The read_samples function in hcom.c in Sound eXchange (SoX) 14.4.2 allows remote… CVSS 3.0MEDIUM 5.5
Sources
- CVE-2021-40426 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-40426 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-5x4j-m9qh-g9w5 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2021-40426 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences