CVE-2026-72642: Use of Out-of-range Pointer Offset in the Elasticsearch Machine Learning Native Inference Process

Published Aug 13, 2026
·
Updated

The native inference process that Elasticsearch uses to evaluate uploaded machine learning models accepts a model operation that computes a memory address from an offset supplied inside the model, without validating that the offset stays within the bounds of the underlying storage. A user with the privileges required to upload and deploy a trained model can craft a model that reads and writes memory outside the intended allocation. The result is heap corruption that crashes the inference process, and, with sufficient control over the heap layout, could allow arbitrary code execution in the context of that process.

Affected Software

4 affected components
Elasticsearch Elasticsearch Machine Learning native inference process
Elastic Elasticsearch>=8.19.0<8.19.20
Elastic Elasticsearch>=9.4.0<9.4.5
Elastic Elasticsearch>=9.5.0<9.5.1

Event History

Aug 13, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:13 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:13 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·08:17 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-72642?

The severity of CVE-2026-72642 is rated as high with a score of 8.8.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-72642?

To fix CVE-2026-72642, update Elasticsearch to the latest version that includes the security patch.

3

What impact does CVE-2026-72642 have on Elasticsearch?

CVE-2026-72642 can lead to out-of-bounds memory access, potentially allowing unauthorized access or modification of data.

4

Who is affected by CVE-2026-72642?

Any user utilizing the Elasticsearch Machine Learning native inference process with unvalidated model offsets is at risk from CVE-2026-72642.

5

When was CVE-2026-72642 published?

CVE-2026-72642 was published on August 13, 2026.

Contact

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