7-Zip Vulnerability CVE-2026-14266 Enables Arbitrary Code Execution Through Malicious XZ Archives
A critical buffer overflow vulnerability has been identified in the popular file archiver 7-Zip, tracked as CVE-2026-14266, that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by delivering a specially crafted XZ archive containing fragmented data. The flaw stems from improper handling of fragmented XZ streams, which can cause the application to write data beyond allocated memory buffers and potentially grant attackers the same privileges as the running 7-Zip process. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as opening a malicious archive received via email, messaging apps, or file-sharing services, making it particularly suitable for targeted phishing campaigns rather than automated remote attacks. The vulnerability received a CVSS score of 7 out of 10, reflecting its significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability without requiring authentication or prior access. No real-world exploitation cases have been reported yet, but technical details have been made public, increasing the risk that working exploits could be developed quickly. Developers have already released a fix in version 26.0, and users are strongly advised to update immediately while exercising caution with unexpected XZ files. The issue highlights ongoing risks associated with archive processing software that handles complex compression formats.
AntiMalwareJul 17, 2026Translated from Russian