Classic buffer overflow in the Erlang/OTP megaco flex scanner C driver allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to corrupt the driver's memory (and po...
Description
Classic buffer overflow in the Erlang/OTP megaco flex scanner C driver allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to corrupt the driver's memory (and potentially achieve remote code execution or a denial-of-service crash) by sending a single text-encoded H
AI Analyst Comment
Remediation
Apply security patches immediately for internet-facing systems. Monitor for exploitation attempts and review access logs.
---METADATA---
VENDOR: Erlang
PRODUCT: OTP
AFFECTED_VERSIONS: Erlang OTP: 3.17.1 and later; Erlang OTP: R13B03 and later
CONFIDENCE: high
MISSING: none
---END_METADATA---
Description Summary:
A buffer overflow in the Erlang/OTP megaco flex scanner C driver allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to cause a denial of service or potentially execute arbitrary code via a crafted message.
Executive Summary:
A memory corruption vulnerability in the Erlang/OTP megaco flex scanner poses a high risk of service disruption or remote code execution by unauthenticated attackers.
Vulnerability Details
CVE-ID: CVE-2026-59250
Affected Software: Erlang OTP
Affected Versions: Erlang OTP: 3.17.1 and later; Erlang OTP: R13B03 and later
Vulnerability: This is a classic buffer overflow (CWE-120) and out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) vulnerability located in the megaco flex scanner C driver, which can be triggered by an unauthenticated remote attacker sending a malformed, text-encoded message.
Business Impact
The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 8.3, reflecting the high potential for service instability. Successful exploitation allows for a denial-of-service crash or potential arbitrary code execution, which could lead to a complete compromise of the Erlang node, resulting in unauthorized data access or significant operational downtime for affected services.
Remediation Plan
Immediate Action: Update Erlang/OTP to a patched version as specified in the vendor security advisory.
Proactive Monitoring: Monitor system logs for repeated crash events or unusual memory consumption patterns in the megaco driver.
Compensating Controls: Deploy network-level traffic filtering or WAF rules to inspect and drop malformed H.248/Megaco messages before they reach the Erlang application.
Exploitation Status
Public Exploit Available: Unknown
Analyst Notes: As of July 28, 2026, there is no public information indicating active exploitation or a public proof-of-concept for this vulnerability. The flaw is inherently dangerous due to its location in a C-based driver, which often bypasses higher-level language memory safety protections.
Analyst Recommendation
Given the high CVSS severity and the remote nature of the attack vector, organizations should prioritize patching Erlang/OTP environments. If an immediate update is not feasible, restrict access to the affected service via network segmentation to minimize exposure to untrusted traffic.