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CVE-2026-54559
Published:July 17, 2026
Updated:August 02, 2026
Impact The trie language model code introduced in PocketSphinx 5prealpha failed to check various boundary conditions when reading the headers of ARPA, DMP, and binary format language model files. In the case of invalid, corrupted or malicious input files, this could lead to stack and heap buffer overflows. In addition, the acoustic model loading code (which is over 30 years old...) contains numerous instances of "sscanf" with an unbounded string field which could also lead to stack overflows in the case of corrupt or malicious inputs. Because PocketSphinx will search the directory given by the "POCKETSPHINX_PATH" environment variable for acoustic and language model files, if this directory is writable by untrusted users, an attacker could corrupt an existing file or write a malicious one to this directory in order to trigger the vulnerability. Patches The problem has been corrected in PocketSphinx 5.1.1. There is no patch currently available for users of Pocketsphinx 5prealpha, who are encouraged to migrate as soon as possible to PocketSphinx 5.1.1. Workarounds Ensure that the "POCKETSPHINX_PATH" environment variable is either unset, or set to a directory whose contents are trusted and which cannot be written by untrusted users.
Affected Packages
pocketsphinx (PYTHON):
Affected version(s) >=0.0.1 <5.1.1
Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 5.1.1
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CVSS v4
Base Score:
6.9
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
NONE
Vulnerable System Integrity
LOW
Vulnerable System Availability
NONE
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
5.3
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
LOW
Availability
NONE
Weakness Type (CWE)
Stack-based Buffer Overflow
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
Heap-based Buffer Overflow