CVE-2026-81319

What it is

Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in ash-project ash_cloak allows an attacker who can influence the bytes of an encrypted column to crash the BEAM node, by triggering unbounded atom creation or a decompression bomb during decryption. AshCloak.Calculations.Decrypt decodes the decrypted binary with Ash.Helpers.non_executable_binary_to_term/1 without the :safe option, so atoms in the payload are interned during the decode and never garbage collected, and the term format's compressed form is inflated transparently. vault.decrypt!() is the only barrier and stops tampering only for an authenticated cipher. Cloak also ships the unauthenticated AES.CTR, whose ciphertext an attacker who knows their own plaintext can XOR into any same-length payload without the key, so an ordinary read of the forged column reaches the decoder. A few hundred kilobytes of distinct atoms exhausts the atom table, or a small compressed payload inflates to gigabytes. This issue affects ash_cloak: from 0.1.0 before 0.4.0.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine without logging in. High risk of service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.4% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2026-08-30 18:16 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-09-01 21:15 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.4% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 5.9 MEDIUM (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2026-08-30 18:16 UTC

Last modified

2026-09-01 21:15 UTC

Exploit probability

0.4% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-502 · Unsafe deserialization

Record status

Deferred

Attack profile CVSS 4.0 · 5.9

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Attack requirements

Present

Privileges needed

None

User interaction

None

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-81319.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-81319. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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