CVE-2026-31973
7.5 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2026-31973 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting samtools samtools. It was published on March 18, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical Description
SAMtools is a program for reading, manipulating and writing bioinformatics file formats. Starting in version 1.17, in the cram-size command, used to write information about how well CRAM files are compressed, a check to see if the `cram_decode_compression_header()` was missing. If the function returned an error, this could lead to a NULL pointer dereference. Exploiting this bug causes a NULL pointer dereference. Typically this will cause the program to crash. Versions 1.23.1, 1.22.2 and 1.21.1 include fixes for this issue. There is no workaround for this issue.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from samtools. Update samtools to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| samtools | samtools | 1.17 | Affected |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-31973?
CVE-2026-31973 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting samtools samtools. It was published on March 18, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2026-31973?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-31973?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from samtools. Update samtools to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-31973?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2026-31973 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
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