# CVE-2026-96442: Emacs Flymake code execution via untrusted files

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-96442-a-code-execution-flaw-was-found-in-emacs-affecting-versions-prior  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-23. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-96442 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-09-23

Emacs, a widely-used text editor, contains a flaw in its Flymake syntax checking mode that allows arbitrary code execution when editing untrusted files. An attacker can craft a malicious file that, when opened in Emacs with Flymake enabled, executes code with the privileges of the user running the editor. This poses a significant risk for developers and users who frequently work with files from untrusted sources.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-96442 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-96442 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-96442?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 23 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Gnu Emacs prior to 31.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-96442?** 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-2026-96442 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-96442?** Check whether you run Gnu Emacs 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 exists in Flymake mode when using language backends other than Lisp, where syntax checking operations execute arbitrary code embedded in the edited file. The attack is triggered passively when a user views or edits a malicious file in Emacs with Flymake enabled, requiring no additional user interaction beyond opening the file. An attacker gains code execution in the context of the user's Emacs process.

## Affected products

- GNU Emacs prior to 31.2

## Timeline

- 2026-09-23: disclosed

## References

- [https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git/](https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git/)
- [https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/](https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/)

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