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CVE Record

CVE-2026-50259: Xorg-x11-server: xorg-x11-server-xwayland: xorg-x11-server: stack buffer overflow in xkb setmap request via mapwidths indexing

A stack-based buffer overflow flaw was found in the X.Org X server and Xwayland. _XkbSetMapChecks() declares a fixed-size stack buffer mapWidths[256] indexed by key type index. The helper function CheckKeyTypes() writes to this buffer at a client-controlled offset, allowing a stack buffer overflow. This may be used to crash the server, or for privilege escalation if the X server runs as root.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2026-50259 is a high-severity local vulnerability in X.Org X server and Xwayland. A logged-in user or local client could trigger memory corruption that may crash the graphical server or, where X runs as root, potentially elevate privileges. The provided sources do not show active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat this as urgent for Linux desktops, VDI, jump hosts, and shared graphical servers. It is not described as remotely exploitable, but local privilege escalation risk can turn a limited account compromise into full system compromise on affected configurations.

Technical view

The flaw is a stack-based buffer overflow in XKB SetMap handling. _XkbSetMapChecks() uses a fixed mapWidths[256] stack buffer, while CheckKeyTypes() can write using a client-controlled key type index. Red Hat rates this CVSS 7.8 with local access, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and high CIA impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on affected RHEL 7 ELS, RHEL 8, RHEL 9, and RHEL 10 systems with xorg-x11-server, xorg-x11-server-Xwayland, or tigervnc packages installed. Multi-user graphical systems, workstations, VDI, and remote desktop environments should be prioritized.

Exploitation context

The attack is local and requires low-privileged access. The bundle says exploitation could crash the server or allow privilege escalation if the X server runs as root. KEV is false, and no cited source in the bundle confirms in-the-wild exploitation.

Researcher notes

Key uncertainty is exploitability beyond denial of service on specific deployments. The sources identify the vulnerable buffer and client-controlled indexing but do not provide exploit maturity, fixed version detail in this bundle, or non-Red Hat product coverage. Avoid assuming broader ecosystem impact without vendor confirmation.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply the relevant Red Hat RHSA updates for affected RHEL streams and packages.
  • Prioritize xorg-x11-server, xorg-x11-server-Xwayland, and tigervnc updates on graphical systems.
  • Follow Red Hat advisory guidance for product-specific fixed builds and reboot or restart requirements.
  • Reduce untrusted local access to affected graphical environments until updates are applied.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory installed xorg-x11-server, xorg-x11-server-Xwayland, and tigervnc packages across RHEL systems.
  • Compare installed package versions with the affected versions and relevant Red Hat advisories.
  • Check whether systems provide local, VDI, or remote graphical sessions.
  • Confirm patch deployment through package management records and vulnerability scanner rescans.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
12

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-121: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

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description · low confidence lookup

Privilege behavior lookup

The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-50259 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

2CVSS vectors
7Timeline events
2ADP providers
27Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

2 official scores

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9redhat
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9redhat-SADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-50259Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Reported to Red Hat.

  2. Source timelineredhat

    Reported to Red Hat.

  3. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Made public.

  4. Source timelineredhat

    Made public.

  5. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  6. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  7. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
redhat-SADPxorg-x11-server: xorg-x11-server-Xwayland: xorg-x11-server: stack buffer overflow in XKB SetMap request via mapWidths indexing
other:Red Hat severity ratingcvssV3_1
  • 2026-05-15T03:14:46.000Z: Reported to Red Hat.
  • 2026-06-02T00:00:00.000Z: Made public.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10xorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:24.1.9-4.el10_2.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update Supportxorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:24.1.5-6.el10_0.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Supportxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.4-35.el7_9affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8xorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:21.1.3-20.el8_10.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8xorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-28.el8_10.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8tigervnc, 0:1.15.0-10.el8_10affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Supportxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.10-5.el8_4affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-Onxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.10-5.el8_4affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Supportxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-8.el8_6affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Supportxorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:21.1.3-2.el8_6.7affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-Onxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-8.el8_6affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-Onxorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:21.1.3-2.el8_6.7affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update Servicexorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-19.el8_8affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update Servicexorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:21.1.3-13.el8_8.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP Solutionsxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-19.el8_8affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP Solutionsxorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:21.1.3-13.el8_8.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9xorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:24.1.9-4.el9_8.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9xorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-34.el9_8.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9tigervnc, 0:1.15.0-7.el9_8.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Update Services for SAP Solutionsxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-21.el9_2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Update Services for SAP Solutionsxorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:21.1.3-10.el9_2.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Update Services for SAP Solutionsxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-29.el9_4affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Update Services for SAP Solutionsxorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:22.1.9-8.el9_4.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 Extended Update Supportxorg-x11-server, 0:1.20.11-34.el9_6affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 Extended Update Supportxorg-x11-server-Xwayland, 0:23.2.7-6.el9_6.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6tigervncaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6xorg-x11-serverunknown
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7tigervncaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-121

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-121 · source CWE mapping

Stack-based Buffer Overflow

Stack-based Buffer Overflow represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

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