Amazon Linux 2023 : libxml2, libxml2-devel, libxml2-static (ALAS2023-2026-1446)

medium Nessus Plugin ID 301348

Synopsis

The remote Amazon Linux 2023 host is missing a security update.

Description

It is, therefore, affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the ALAS2023-2026-1446 advisory.

A flaw was identified in the interactive shell of the xmllint utility, part of the libxml2 project, where memory allocated for user input is not properly released under certain conditions. When a user submits input consisting only of whitespace, the program skips command execution but fails to free the allocated buffer. Repeating this action causes memory to continuously accumulate. Over time, this can exhaust system memory and terminate the xmllint process, creating a denial-of-service condition on the local system.
(CVE-2026-1757)

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the tested product security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Run 'dnf update libxml2 --releasever 2023.10.20260302' or or 'dnf update --advisory ALAS2023-2026-1446 --releasever 2023.10.20260302' to update your system.

See Also

https://alas.aws.amazon.com/faqs.html

https://explore.alas.aws.amazon.com/CVE-2026-1757.html

https://alas.aws.amazon.com//AL2023/ALAS2023-2026-1446.html

Plugin Details

Severity: Medium

ID: 301348

File Name: al2023_ALAS2023-2026-1446.nasl

Version: 1.1

Type: local

Agent: unix

Published: 3/6/2026

Updated: 3/6/2026

Supported Sensors: Frictionless Assessment AWS, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Nessus Agent, Agentless Assessment, Continuous Assessment, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Low

Score: 3.6

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 4.9

Temporal Score: 3.6

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2026-1757

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 6.2

Temporal Score: 5.4

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:libxml2-devel, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:libxml2-debuginfo, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:python3-libxml2, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:libxml2-debugsource, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:libxml2, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:python3-libxml2-debuginfo, cpe:/o:amazon:linux:2023, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:libxml2-static

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/AmazonLinux/release, Host/AmazonLinux/rpm-list

Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 3/5/2026

Vulnerability Publication Date: 2/2/2026

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2026-1757