# CVE-2026-54073: VeraCrypt plaintext markers in hidden volume creation

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-54073-veracrypt-plaintext-markers-in-hidden-volume-creation  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-08-21. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-54073 · Severity: info · CVSS 0 · Published 2026-08-21

VeraCrypt is disk encryption software that protects data on laptops, external drives, and other storage devices. A bug in versions 1.26.6–1.26.28 left predictable, unencrypted markers on disk when creating hidden volumes, potentially making it easier for forensic investigators to detect the presence of hidden data during legal seizures. The actual encrypted data remains protected, but the plausible deniability of the hidden volume is weakened.

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-54073 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-54073 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-54073?** Informational severity, with a CVSS score of 0, published 21 August 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** VeraCrypt VeraCrypt 1.26.6 through 1.26.28.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-54073?** A patch was published on 2026-06-12: Fixed in version 1.26.29 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-54073 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-54073?** 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 file-hosted hidden volume creation flaw bypassed the standard encrypted write path (EncryptDataUnits). Instead, the FormatNoFs and FormatFat functions directly wrote raw zeroed sectors at predictable 128 MiB intervals using WriteFile, creating deterministic plaintext markers in ciphertext regions. This only affected hidden volumes forced to quick format (non-hidden file containers were unaffected). The vulnerability required local access during volume creation; it does not disclose hidden volume content or break VeraCrypt's encryption. The fix, released in version 1.26.29, ensures hidden volume formatting uses only the encrypted write path, preserving forensic deniability.

## Affected products

- VeraCrypt VeraCrypt 1.26.6 through 1.26.28

## Timeline

- 2026-08-21: disclosed
- 2026-06-12: patched: Fixed in version 1.26.29

## References

- [https://github.com/veracrypt/VeraCrypt/commit/689a59cd584f090ca5f9214d5f2f3a9eac499e53](https://github.com/veracrypt/VeraCrypt/commit/689a59cd584f090ca5f9214d5f2f3a9eac499e53)
- [https://github.com/veracrypt/VeraCrypt/releases/tag/VeraCrypt_1.26.29](https://github.com/veracrypt/VeraCrypt/releases/tag/VeraCrypt_1.26.29)