HarfBuzz is a text shaping engine. Prior to version 12.3.0, a null pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the SubtableUnicodesCache::create function located in src/hb-ot-cmap-table.hh. The function fails to check if hb_malloc returns NULL before using placement new to construct an object at the returned pointer address. When hb_malloc fails to allocate memory (which can occur in low-memory conditions or when using custom allocators that simulate allocation failures), it returns NULL. The code then attempts to call the constructor on this null pointer using placement new syntax, resulting in undefined behavior and a Segmentation Fault. This issue has been patched in version 12.3.0.
This vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.3, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts and limited availability for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from harfbuzz_project organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Reported in 2026, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2026-01-10T06:15:52.063
2026-02-18T17:49:22.590
Analyzed
CVSSv3.1: 5.3 (MEDIUM)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | harfbuzz_project | harfbuzz | < 12.3.0 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For harfbuzz_project's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.