Memory leak in Cisco Snort 3 file processing causes denial of service
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · Low
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-401.
Summary
Multiple Cisco products, including Cisco Open Source Snort3 and Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software, are affected. The affected versions are listed from 3.1.2.0 for Snort3 and from 7.0.0 for FTD. Incomplete error checking when Snort 3 processes files leaves memory unreleased (CWE-401). An unauthenticated remote attacker who sends a large number of files can cause the Snort 3 Detection Engine to restart, interrupting packet inspection.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Description from the CNA
Multiple Cisco products are affected by a vulnerability in the memory management implementation of Snort 3 that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the Snort 3 Detection Engine to restart, resulting in an interruption of packet inspection. This vulnerability is due to incomplete error checking when Snort 3 processes files, which could cause unreleased memory. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a large number of files to be processed. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the Snort 3 Detection Engine to restart unexpectedly, resulting in a DoS condition.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco | Cisco Open Source Snort3 | 3.12.2.0; 3.1.2.0; 3.1.3.0; 3.1.4.0; 3.1.5.0; 3.1.6.0; 3.1.7.0; 3.1.8.0; 3.1.9.0; 3.1.10.0; 3.1.12.0; 3.1.13.0; 3.1.14.0; 3.1.15.0; 3.1.16.0; 3.1.17.0; 3.1.18.0; 3.1.19.0; 3.1.20.0; 3.1.21.0; 3.1.22.0; 3.1.23.0; 3.1.24.0; 3.1.25.0; 3.1.27.0; 3.1.28.0; 3.1.29.0; 3.1.30.0; 3.1.31.0; 3.1.32.0; 3.1.36.0; 3.1.38.0; 3.1.39.0; 3.1.40.0; 3.1.41.0; 3.1.42.0; 3.1.43.0; 3.1.45.0; 3.1.47.0; 3.1.48.0; 3.1.50.0; 3.1.51.0; 3.1.52.0; 3.1.53.0; 3.1.55.0; 3.1.56.0; 3.1.57.0; 3.1.58.0; 3.1.59.0; 3.1.60.0; 3.1.61.0; 3.1.62.0; 3.1.63.0; 3.1.64.0; 3.1.65.0; 3.1.66.0; 3.1.67.0; 3.1.69.0; 3.1.70.0; 3.1.71.0; 3.1.72.0; 3.1.73.0; 3.1.74.0; 3.1.75.0; 3.1.76.0; 3.1.77.0; 3.1.78.0; 3.1.81.0; 3.1.82.0; 3.1.83.0; 3.1.84.0; 3.2.1.0; 3.2.2.0; 3.3.0.0; 3.3.1.0; 3.3.2.0; 3.3.3.0; 3.3.4.0; 3.3.5.0; 3.3.7.0; 3.5.0.0; 3.5.1.0; 3.8.1.0; 3.6.0.0; 3.6.2.0; 3.9.3.0; 3.7.2.0; 3.7.0.0; 3.9.6.0; 3.10.0.0; 3.10.2.0; 3.7.4.0; 3.9.0.0; 3.5.2.0; 3.12.1.0; 3.6.1.0; 3.9.2.0; 3.6.3.0; 3.9.5.0; 3.7.1.0; 3.9.7.0; 3.7.3.0; 3.10.1.0; 3.9.1.0; 3.11.1.0 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Cisco | Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software | 7.0.0; 7.0.0.1; 7.0.1; 7.0.1.1; 7.0.2; 7.2.0; 7.0.2.1; 7.0.3; 7.2.0.1; 7.0.4; 7.2.1; 7.0.5; 7.3.0; 7.2.2; 7.2.3; 7.3.1; 7.2.4; 7.0.6; 7.2.5; 7.2.4.1; 7.3.1.1; 7.4.0; 7.0.6.1; 7.2.5.1; 7.4.1; 7.2.6; 7.0.6.2; 7.4.1.1; 7.2.7; 7.2.5.2; 7.3.1.2; 7.2.8; 7.6.0; 7.4.2; 7.2.8.1; 7.0.6.3; 7.4.2.1; 7.2.9; 7.0.7; 7.7.0; 7.4.2.2; 7.6.1; 7.4.2.3; 7.0.8; 7.6.2; 7.7.10; 7.7.11; 7.0.8.1; 7.6.2.1; 7.7.10.1; 7.4.2.4; 7.4.3; 7.6.4; 10.0.0; 7.4.4; 7.0.9; 7.4.7 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Cisco Open Source Snort3 VendorCisco Affected 3.12.2.0; 3.1.2.0; 3.1.3.0; 3.1.4.0; 3.1.5.0; 3.1.6.0; 3.1.7.0; 3.1.8.0; 3.1.9.0; 3.1.10.0; 3.1.12.0; 3.1.13.0; 3.1.14.0; 3.1.15.0; 3.1.16.0; 3.1.17.0; 3.1.18.0; 3.1.19.0; 3.1.20.0; 3.1.21.0; 3.1.22.0; 3.1.23.0; 3.1.24.0; 3.1.25.0; 3.1.27.0; 3.1.28.0; 3.1.29.0; 3.1.30.0; 3.1.31.0; 3.1.32.0; 3.1.36.0; 3.1.38.0; 3.1.39.0; 3.1.40.0; 3.1.41.0; 3.1.42.0; 3.1.43.0; 3.1.45.0; 3.1.47.0; 3.1.48.0; 3.1.50.0; 3.1.51.0; 3.1.52.0; 3.1.53.0; 3.1.55.0; 3.1.56.0; 3.1.57.0; 3.1.58.0; 3.1.59.0; 3.1.60.0; 3.1.61.0; 3.1.62.0; 3.1.63.0; 3.1.64.0; 3.1.65.0; 3.1.66.0; 3.1.67.0; 3.1.69.0; 3.1.70.0; 3.1.71.0; 3.1.72.0; 3.1.73.0; 3.1.74.0; 3.1.75.0; 3.1.76.0; 3.1.77.0; 3.1.78.0; 3.1.81.0; 3.1.82.0; 3.1.83.0; 3.1.84.0; 3.2.1.0; 3.2.2.0; 3.3.0.0; 3.3.1.0; 3.3.2.0; 3.3.3.0; 3.3.4.0; 3.3.5.0; 3.3.7.0; 3.5.0.0; 3.5.1.0; 3.8.1.0; 3.6.0.0; 3.6.2.0; 3.9.3.0; 3.7.2.0; 3.7.0.0; 3.9.6.0; 3.10.0.0; 3.10.2.0; 3.7.4.0; 3.9.0.0; 3.5.2.0; 3.12.1.0; 3.6.1.0; 3.9.2.0; 3.6.3.0; 3.9.5.0; 3.7.1.0; 3.9.7.0; 3.7.3.0; 3.10.1.0; 3.9.1.0; 3.11.1.0 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software VendorCisco Affected 7.0.0; 7.0.0.1; 7.0.1; 7.0.1.1; 7.0.2; 7.2.0; 7.0.2.1; 7.0.3; 7.2.0.1; 7.0.4; 7.2.1; 7.0.5; 7.3.0; 7.2.2; 7.2.3; 7.3.1; 7.2.4; 7.0.6; 7.2.5; 7.2.4.1; 7.3.1.1; 7.4.0; 7.0.6.1; 7.2.5.1; 7.4.1; 7.2.6; 7.0.6.2; 7.4.1.1; 7.2.7; 7.2.5.2; 7.3.1.2; 7.2.8; 7.6.0; 7.4.2; 7.2.8.1; 7.0.6.3; 7.4.2.1; 7.2.9; 7.0.7; 7.7.0; 7.4.2.2; 7.6.1; 7.4.2.3; 7.0.8; 7.6.2; 7.7.10; 7.7.11; 7.0.8.1; 7.6.2.1; 7.7.10.1; 7.4.2.4; 7.4.3; 7.6.4; 10.0.0; 7.4.4; 7.0.9; 7.4.7 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
No fixed version is listed for Cisco Open Source Snort3 or for Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Timeline
- 2026-10-21 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-76489
- 2026-10-21 Alias added: GHSA-4m4m-399q-8257
- 2026-10-22 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-22 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-76489 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-76489 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-4m4m-399q-8257 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences