CVE-2026-44050: Netatalk heap buffer overflow in CNID daemon comm_rcv

CVE-2026-44050 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.9 · Published 2026-05-21

Netatalk is an open-source implementation of the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP), allowing Unix-like systems to serve as file servers for macOS clients. A critical vulnerability in the CNID daemon component could allow an attacker to crash the file service or potentially execute unauthorized code. This could lead to a total loss of availability for network shares and compromise the security of the hosting server.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-44050 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-44050 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-44050?
Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.9, published 21 May 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Netatalk team Netatalk 2.0.0 through 4.4.2.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-44050?
A patch was published on 2026-05-21: Version 4.4.3 released with fix Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2026-44050 attacked?
It is attacked over the network, in a software library.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-44050?
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

A heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) exists in the Netatalk CNID daemon within the comm_rcv() function. The vulnerability is caused by the daemon trusting a client-supplied name length value, leading it to read attacker-controlled data into a fixed-size buffer. An authenticated attacker with network access to the CNID service can exploit this to overflow daemon memory. This can result in a denial-of-service (service crash) or potentially arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the daemon. The issue is resolved in version 4.4.3, and a workaround involves switching to the 'sqlite' CNID backend.

Affected products

  • Netatalk team Netatalk 2.0.0 through 4.4.2

Timeline

  • 2026-05-13: disclosed: Initial disclosure date reported by vendor
  • 2026-05-21: advisory: NVD publication date
  • 2026-05-21: patched: Version 4.4.3 released with fix

References

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