Apache DataSketches: datasketches-cpp: Out-of-bounds read in VarOpt union deserialization allows denial of service via a truncated sketch
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-103636 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | apache |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-10-10 11:17:36 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-10-16 16:16:53 UTC |
| Description | Out-of-bounds read in the VarOpt union deserialization of Apache DataSketches C++ (repo: datasketches-cpp). var_opt_union::deserialize() read the 32-byte preamble of a non-empty union after checking that only 8 bytes were available, so a truncated serialized union could cause a read of up to 24 bytes past the end of the input. For such inputs, the size remaining for the embedded sketch was also computed by an unsigned subtraction that could wrap around, so the embedded sketch's own size checks no longer limited reads to the input. The bytes read can become part of the deserialized union's state. This can cause a crash (denial of service) and could expose adjacent memory contents. This issue affects Apache DataSketches C++: from 2.0.0-incubating before 5.3.0. Only applications that deserialize VarOpt unions from untrusted sources are affected. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 5.3.0, which fixes this issue. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 7.5 HIGH from ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS: 0.002380000 probability, percentile 0.136630000 (date 2026-10-11)
Problem Types: CWE-125 | CWE-191 | CWE-125 CWE-125 Out-of-bounds read | CWE-191 CWE-191 Integer underflow (wrap or wraparound)
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | ADP | DECLARED | 7.5 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
| 3.1 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | Secondary | 7.5 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
NetworkAttack Complexity
LowPrivileges Required
NoneUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
NoneIntegrity
NoneAvailability
HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Apache Software Foundation | Apache DataSketches | affected 2.0.0-incubating 5.2.0 semver | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| github.com/apache/datasketches-cpp/releases/tag/5.3.0 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| lists.apache.org/thread/znn94s463w7wy125khcywxsp82y2qkq5 | [email protected] | lists.apache.org | |
| www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/10/10/6 | af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 | www.openwall.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
Vendor Comments And Credit
Discovery Credit
CNA: He Huang (en)
CNA: NexusSan (en)
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.