# CVE-2026-75820: GNU Aspell integer truncation in WritableDict::add()

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-75820-gnu-aspell-contains-an-integer-truncation-vulnerability-in-the  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-06. Updated: 2026-10-06  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-75820 · Severity: info · Published 2026-10-06

GNU Aspell is a spell-checker library and utility that checks document spelling across multiple languages. An integer truncation vulnerability in its personal wordlist handling can cause memory corruption when processing words whose length is a multiple of 256, leading to application crashes. An attacker can exploit this by distributing a malicious personal wordlist file that users load into Aspell.

Technologies: [Gnu Aspell](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/aspell). Vendors: [Gnu](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/gnu).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-75820 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-75820 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-75820?** Informational severity, published 6 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Gnu Aspell before 0.60.8.3.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-75820?** Yes: fixed in 0.60.8.3. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-75820 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-75820?** Check whether you run Gnu Aspell 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.

## How to fix

- Fixed in 0.60.8.3

## Technical details

The WritableDict::add() function in modules/speller/default/writable.cpp stores word length as a single byte, causing truncation for words with length that is a multiple of 256. This results in heap corruption when loading a crafted personal wordlist. The vulnerability requires user interaction (loading the wordlist) and affects all versions before 0.60.8.3.

## Affected products

- GNU Aspell before 0.60.8.3

## Timeline

- 2026-10-06: disclosed
- 2026-10-06: patched: Fixed in commit 782ce94e4dc71eaec4ee1bd945eb3b9c47c5387d

## References

- [http://aspell.net/](http://aspell.net/)
- [https://cert.pl/en/posts/2026/10/CVE-2026-75818](https://cert.pl/en/posts/2026/10/CVE-2026-75818)

## Related threats

- [GNU Aspell heap buffer overflow in dictionary loader](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-103658-gnu-aspell-0-60-8-2-first-vulnerable-version-is-not-known)
- [GNU Aspell out-of-bounds read in dictionary loading](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-75819-gnu-aspell-contains-an-out-of-bounds-read-vulnerability-in)
- [GNU Aspell prezip-bin heap buffer overflow in decompressor](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-75818-gnu-aspell-prezip-bin-contains-a-heap-based-buffer-overflow)