PatchTheCVECVE-2026-44378: Botan is a C++ cryptography library
CVE-2026-44378 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) affecting botan. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.
Botan is a C++ cryptography library. Prior to 3.12.0, certain patterns of indefinite length encodings in BER data could cause quadratic behavior in the parser, resulting in a denial of service. Such BER encodings were accepted even in structures which are required to be encoded as DER, which prohibits indefinite length encodings. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.12.0.
Why this priority
- High severity
- Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action
A fixed release or distro patch exists.
Risk facts
| CVSS score | 7.5 (High) |
| Attack vector | Network (remote) |
| Attack complexity | Low |
| Privileges needed | None |
| User interaction | None |
| EPSS exploit chance | 0.3% (top 75%) |
| CISA exploited list | No |
| Weakness | CWE-407 |
| Published | 2026-05-27 |
| Last modified | 2026-10-26 |
Last updated 2026-10-26 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score
Am I affected?
Timeline
- Published CVE record published
- Updated Record last modified
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.
Quick answers
How do I fix CVE-2026-44378?
botan: upgrade to 3.12.0. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.
Is CVE-2026-44378 being exploited?
CVE-2026-44378 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.
What does CVE-2026-44378 affect?
CVE-2026-44378 affects botan. Severity is high (CVSS 7.5). Botan is a C++ cryptography library. Prior to 3.12.0, certain patterns of indefinite length encodings in BER data could cause quadratic behavior in the parser, resulting in a denial of service. Such BER encodings were accepted even in struc
How urgent is CVE-2026-44378?
Priority 38/100. High severity; Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action