CVE-2026-77372: VeraCrypt: Heap overflow and out-of-bounds read in Serializable deserialization (elevated Core service input path)
VeraCrypt provides disk encryption with strong security based on TrueCrypt. Prior to 1.26.30, the Unix, macOS, and FreeBSD serialization paths in src/Platform/Serializer.cpp and src/Volume/VolumePassword.cpp accept untrusted length and count values when deserializing data that can cross from the unprivileged GUI or CLI to the root CoreService helper. Serializer::DeserializeWString allocates floor(size / sizeof(wchart)) elements but reads size bytes, so a non-aligned size can overflow the heap allocation. VolumePassword::Deserialize accepts PasswordSize values larger than the fixed 128-byte PasswordBuffer, allowing downstream DataPtr() and Size() consumers such as the KDF to read beyond the buffer. DeserializeString, DeserializeWString, and the string and wide-string list readers also lack allocation and collection bounds, which can exhaust memory, and a zero-length DeserializeString can access an empty vector. Windows uses a different path, and the immediate CoreService pipe writer is the same-user parent process, so the documented exposure is a local defense-in-depth boundary rather than a remote attack. This issue is fixed in 1.26.30.
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
VeraCryptto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 1.26.30
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which deployments are affected?
The affected serialization paths are on Unix, macOS, and FreeBSD in installations prior to 1.26.30. Windows uses a different path and is not identified as affected by this issue.
What access would an attacker need to exploit this?
Exploitation requires local access and the ability to supply crafted serialized data across the unprivileged GUI or CLI to the root CoreService helper. The documented pipe writer is the same-user parent process, so this is described as a local defense-in-depth boundary rather than a remote attack path.
What should teams do to remediate the issue?
Upgrade VeraCrypt to version 1.26.30 or later. Versions before 1.26.30 on Unix, macOS, or FreeBSD should be treated as affected where the GUI or CLI can communicate with the CoreService helper.