---
id: "CVE-2026-120453"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-120453"]
title: "The Sleuth Kit: crafted HFS+ image causes heap out-of-bounds read"
severity: "medium"
cvss: 4.8
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["forensics", "hfs+", "package", "sleuth-kit"]
not_affected_if: ["trusted-images-only"]
published_at: "2026-11-02T15:17:28+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-11-02T15:24:03+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-11-02T15:26:30+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120453", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-02T15:24:03+00:00"}]
---

# The Sleuth Kit: crafted HFS+ image causes heap out-of-bounds read

The Sleuth Kit forensic toolkit reads past a heap allocation when parsing extended attributes in a crafted HFS+ disk image. An attacker who supplies such an image can crash analysis tools like istat or icat.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Run `tsk_version` or `istat -V` to see the installed Sleuth Kit version
- Check whether the installed version is `4.15.0` or earlier

## Timeline

- 2026-11-02T15:24:03+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120453

## Documents

- [advisory] Third-party advisory: www.vulncheck.com https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/the-sleuth-kit-through-4.15.0-heap-out-of-bounds-read-via-hfs-decmpfs-header
- [fix] Release notes: github.com https://github.com/sleuthkit/sleuthkit/releases/tag/sleuthkit-4.15.0

## From the sources

The Sleuth Kit through 4.15.0 contains a heap out-of-bounds read vulnerability in hfs_load_extended_attrs() in tsk/fs/hfs.c that reads the decmpfs header without checking attribute length. Attackers can supply a crafted HFS+ image with a com.apple.decmpfs attr_size of 1 to 15 to read past the allocation and crash analysis tools like istat or icat.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_