High [CVE-2026-43629] Arbitrary code execution via crafted KV cache state files
This high-severity Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-43629 affecting Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI (RHEL AI) 3.
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Summary
llama.cpp builds b4882 through b9058 contain a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in the KV cache state restore path where the state_read_data() function computes write size without overflow checking, allowing attackers with write access to the slot_save_path directory to corrupt heap memory.
Attackers can craft malicious state files where cell_count multiplication overflows or exceeds tensor buffer allocation to write attacker-controlled bytes past buffer boundaries, potentially resulting in heap metadata corruption, model weight corruption, or arbitrary code execution via function pointer overwrite.
An attacker with local write access to specific directories can exploit a heap buffer overflow vulnerability. By crafting malicious data files, the attacker can cause the system to write beyond intended memory boundaries.
This could lead to data corruption or, in severe cases, allow the attacker to execute unauthorized code, potentially compromising the system. Exploitation requires an attacker to possess write access to the slot storage location and plant a maliciously crafted key-value cache state file prior to a restoration operation.
If successfully processed, the heap memory corruption can grant complete compromise of Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (C:H, I:H, A:H) within the context of the running application process.
Affected versions
No affected-version range was extracted from the source record. The vendor advisory is authoritative — check it before change work.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 2 hours ago·verify at source
Fixed versions
No fixed release is recorded yet. That does not prove no patch exists — confirm against the vendor advisory.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 2 hours ago·verify at source
Mitigation checklist
- Restrict write access to the `slot_save_path` directory used by llama.cpp. Ensure that only trusted processes and users have permissions to write to this location. This prevents an attacker from introducing malicious KV cache state files that could trigger the heap buffer overflow. For deployments, consider running llama.cpp with the least necessary privileges and within a sandboxed environment to further limit the impact of potential file system compromises.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 2 hours ago·verify at source
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