# CVE-2026-17513: ggml-org whisper.cpp reachable assertion in ggml_ftype_to_ggml_type

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-17513-ggml-org-whisper-cpp-reachable-assertion-in-ggml-ftype-to-ggml  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-27. Updated: 2026-07-27  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-17513 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.3 · Published 2026-07-27

A vulnerability exists in whisper.cpp, a high-performance library used for speech-to-text transcription. An attacker with local access to the system could provide a specially crafted model file that causes the application to crash unexpectedly. This results in a denial-of-service, potentially disrupting automated transcription services or applications relying on this library.

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-2026-17513 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-17513 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-17513?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.3, published 27 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Ggml-Org Whisper.Cpp 95ea8f9b.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-17513?** 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-2026-17513 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-17513?** 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 reachable assertion vulnerability exists in the ggml_ftype_to_ggml_type function within ggml/src/ggml.c of whisper.cpp (commit 95ea8f9b). The issue occurs when whisper_model_load() passes a model-declared 'ftype' to the conversion function; if the ftype is invalid (e.g., 5, 6, or ≥27 after modulo 1000), the code sets an error sentinel that triggers a GGML_ASSERT. Because GGML_ASSERT is not compiled out in release builds, this leads to an immediate process abort (ggml_abort). An attacker can exploit this by providing a malformed 48-byte PoC model file to trigger a crash. As of the advisory date, the project has been informed but a formal patch has not been confirmed.

## Affected products

- ggml-org whisper.cpp 95ea8f9b

## Timeline

- 2026-07-03: disclosed: Issue reported to the project maintainers via GitHub issue #3924
- 2026-07-27: advisory: CVE-2026-17513 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/3924](https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp/issues/3924)
- [https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-17513](https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-17513)
- [https://vuldb.com/submit/799055](https://vuldb.com/submit/799055)
- [https://vuldb.com/vuln/383383](https://vuldb.com/vuln/383383)
- [https://vuldb.com/vuln/383383/cti](https://vuldb.com/vuln/383383/cti)

## Related threats

- [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)
- [ggml-org whisper.cpp null pointer dereference in whisper_model_load](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-10298-ggml-org-whisper-cpp-null-pointer-dereference-in-whisper-model)