# CVE-2026-1757: libxml2 xmllint memory leak in interactive shell

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-1757-libxml2-xmllint-memory-leak-in-interactive-shell  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-02-02. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-1757 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.2 · Published 2026-02-02

The xmllint utility, a command-line tool included in the widely-used libxml2 library for XML processing, contains a memory leak in its interactive shell. When a user enters only whitespace, the program fails to release the allocated input buffer. An attacker or local user can repeatedly trigger this condition to exhaust system memory, causing the xmllint process to crash and creating a denial-of-service condition on the affected system.

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-1757 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-1757 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-1757?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.2, published 2 February 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** libxml2 Project libxml2 <UNKNOWN>.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-1757?** 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-2026-1757 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-1757?** Check whether anything you run is named in the advisory. 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

The vulnerability is a memory leak (CWE-772) in the interactive shell of xmllint. When user input consisting only of whitespace is submitted, the program skips command execution but fails to properly deallocate the memory buffer that was allocated to store the input. Repeated submissions of whitespace-only input cause memory to accumulate without being freed. The attack vector is local, requiring an attacker to have interactive access to the xmllint shell or the ability to automate whitespace submissions. Over time, this exhausts available system memory and terminates the xmllint process, resulting in a denial-of-service condition. A patch has been identified and should be available through libxml2 updates.

## Affected products

- libxml2 Project libxml2 <UNKNOWN>

## Timeline

- 2026-02-02: disclosed

## References

- [https://catalog.redhat.com/software/containers/](https://catalog.redhat.com/software/containers/)
- [https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/](https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/)