# CVE-2026-18280: Sony XAV-9500ES gpsd buffer overflow arbitrary code execution

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-18280-sony-xav-9500es-gpsd-buffer-overflow-arbitrary-code-execution  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-08-20. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-18280 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.9 · Published 2026-08-20

Sony XAV-9500ES is a car media player and receiver with GPS and audio capabilities. This vulnerability allows a physically present attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device by sending specially crafted GPS data through the gpsd daemon. No authentication is required, and successful exploitation could allow an attacker to take complete control of the device's functions.

Technologies: [Sony XAV-9500ES](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/xav-9500es). Vendors: [Sony](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/sony).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-18280 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-18280 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-18280?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.9, published 20 August 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Sony XAV-9500ES Not specified.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-18280?** A patch was published on 2026-07-29: Sony issued an update to correct this vulnerability Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-18280 attacked?** It is attacked with physical access.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-18280?** Check whether you run Sony XAV-9500ES 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

The vulnerability is a classic buffer overflow in the gpsd daemon's NMEA data parsing logic. The root cause is insufficient validation of user-supplied data length before copying it into a fixed-length stack or heap buffer. An attacker with physical access to the vehicle or the ability to inject NMEA GPS sentences (e.g., via a rogue GPS receiver or wireless signal injection) can send oversized payloads to trigger the overflow. The flaw allows arbitrary code execution in the context of the gpsd daemon. Sony has released an update to address this issue.

## Affected products

- Sony XAV-9500ES Not specified

## Timeline

- 2026-03-19: disclosed: Vulnerability reported to vendor
- 2026-07-29: advisory: Coordinated public release of advisory
- 2026-07-29: patched: Sony issued an update to correct this vulnerability

## References

- [https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/mobile-cd-players-digital-media-players-xav-series/xav-9500es/software/00274922](https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/mobile-cd-players-digital-media-players-xav-series/xav-9500es/software/00274922)
- [https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-473/](https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-473/)

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