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CVE-2026-96442: Emacs: emacs: arbitrary code execution in flymake mode

• Severity: high (CVSS 7.8 v3.1)
• Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
• EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
• Public exploit or detection template: none known
• Published: 2026-09-23 · updated 2026-10-27
• Weakness: CWE-94

Description

A code execution flaw was found in Emacs, affecting versions prior to 31.2. The Flymake mode using language backends other than Lisp would execute arbitrary code from the edited file while performing syntax checking. Viewing or editing untrusted files using Emacs could lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running Emacs.

Affected products

• GNU Emacs: before 31.2 — fixed in 31.2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10: all versions — fixed in 1:29.4-14.el10_2.3
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7: all versions
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: all versions — fixed in 1:26.1-15.el8_10.4
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: all versions — fixed in 1:27.2-18.el9_8.3

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: GNU Emacs 31.2; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 1:29.4-14.el10_2.3; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 1:26.1-15.el8_10.4; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 1:27.2-18.el9_8.3. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:84591
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:85245
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:90800
• https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-96442
• https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2537347
• https://github.com/emacs-mirror/emacs/commit/135e6f63f08fee3d374fa1a5187bce941a2d3e3c
• https://github.com/emacs-mirror/emacs/commit/abc802ee2eb0b1663349ddf22a461f8e54a383fb
• https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/14/1

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