CVE-2026-75819
Received Received - Intake

Out-of-Bounds Read in GNU Aspell Dictionary Loading

Publication date: 2026-10-06

Last updated on: 2026-10-06

Assigner: CERT.PL

Description
GNU Aspell contains an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in ReadOnlyDict::load() in readonly_ws.cpp. When loading a binary .rws dictionary file, it uses offset fields from the file header as byte indices into a heap buffer without validating their bounds. An attacker can trigger this by convincing a user to run aspell with a crafted dictionary file supplied through --master, --dict-dir, or configuration options, leading to heap memory disclosure or a denial of service via application crash. This issue was fixed in commit 941953b25031bc9104e83f58e138a664b8dedc3f which will be released in version 0.60.8.3.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-06
Last Modified
2026-10-06
Generated
2026-10-06
AI Q&A
2026-10-06
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-75819
EUVD
EUVD-2026-93365

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
GNU Aspell 0

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-125 The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

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Executive Summary

GNU Aspell has an out-of-bounds read flaw in the ReadOnlyDict::load() function. When loading a binary dictionary file, it uses unvalidated offset values from the file header as memory indices. This can expose heap memory or crash the application if exploited with a maliciously crafted file.

Detection Guidance

Detecting this vulnerability requires checking for the use of GNU Aspell with potentially malicious dictionary files. Monitor for crashes when running aspell with custom --master or --dict-dir options. Inspect dictionary files for unusual sizes or corrupted headers.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to read sensitive memory contents or cause the application to crash by providing a specially crafted dictionary file. This requires tricking a user into using the malicious file via command-line arguments or configuration.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade GNU Aspell to version 0.60.8.3 or later to apply the fix. Avoid using untrusted dictionary files with aspell. Remove or restrict access to custom dictionary directories if they are not required.

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