# CVE-2026-10298: ggml-org whisper.cpp null pointer dereference in whisper_model_load

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-10298-ggml-org-whisper-cpp-null-pointer-dereference-in-whisper-model  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-06-01. Updated: 2026-06-01  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-10298 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.3 · Published 2026-06-01

A security vulnerability exists in whisper.cpp, a high-performance C++ implementation of OpenAI's Whisper speech recognition model. By providing a specially crafted model file, a local attacker can cause the application to crash. This results in a denial-of-service, potentially disrupting automated transcription services or applications relying on this library for audio processing.

Technologies: [Ggml-Org Whisper.Cpp](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/whisper-cpp). Vendors: [Ggml-Org](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/ggml-org).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-10298 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-10298 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-10298?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.3, published 1 June 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Ggml-Org Whisper.Cpp up to 1.8.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-10298?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-10298 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-10298?** Check whether you run Ggml-Org Whisper.Cpp at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A vulnerability exists in the `whisper_model_load` function within `ggml/src/ggml.c` (and `src/whisper.cpp`) of whisper.cpp. The root cause is a failure to validate hyperparameters, such as `n_audio_state`, when reading from a model file. If these values are set to zero, the loader creates zero-dimension tensors with null data pointers. Subsequent operations, such as `memcpy` or `ggml_mul_mat`, trigger a null pointer dereference or a `GGML_ASSERT` failure, leading to a process crash (SIGABRT). This attack requires the ability to provide a local model file to the application. As of the advisory date, the project has been notified but a formal patch has not been confirmed.

## Affected products

- ggml-org whisper.cpp up to 1.8.2

## Timeline

- 2026-05-12: disclosed: Issue reported to the project maintainers via GitHub issue #3807
- 2026-06-01: advisory: CVE-2026-10298 published by VulDB/NVD

## References

- [https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp/](https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp/)
- [https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp/issues/3807](https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp/issues/3807)
- [https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-10298](https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-10298)
- [https://vuldb.com/submit/826910](https://vuldb.com/submit/826910)
- [https://vuldb.com/vuln/367591](https://vuldb.com/vuln/367591)
- [https://vuldb.com/vuln/367591/cti](https://vuldb.com/vuln/367591/cti)

## Related threats

- [ggml-org whisper.cpp reachable assertion in ggml_ftype_to_ggml_type](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-17513-ggml-org-whisper-cpp-reachable-assertion-in-ggml-ftype-to-ggml)
- [ggml-org whisper.cpp out-of-bounds read in log_mel_spectrogram](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-17512-ggml-org-whisper-cpp-out-of-bounds-read-in-log-mel-spectrogram)