PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief
CVE-2026-56859 Go standard library CVE debrief
The CVE-2026-56859 vulnerability affects the DecodeElement function in the Go programming language, potentially leading to stack exhaustion and denial-of-service (DoS) conditions. This HIGH-severity vulnerability, with a CVSS score of 7.5, requires immediate attention. Affected systems and components should be identified, and patches or updates provided by the Go vendor should be reviewed and applied. Compensating controls, such as monitoring and exception tracking, should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. Thorough inventory checks are necessary to prioritize remediation efforts. The official CVE Program record and NVD detail page provide additional information on this vulnerability.
- Vendor
- Go standard library
- Product
- encoding/xml
- CVSS
- HIGH 7.5
- CISA KEV
- Not listed in stored evidence
- Original CVE published
- 2026-08-13
- Original CVE updated
- 2026-09-03
- Advisory published
- 2026-08-13
- Advisory updated
- 2026-09-03
Who should care
Organizations and developers using the Go programming language should be aware of this vulnerability and take immediate action to patch or mitigate the risk. This includes reviewing and applying updates, monitoring for potential exploitation attempts, and prioritizing remediation efforts for affected systems. Operators, platform administrators, vulnerability management teams, and security teams should review the official advisory and assess their exposure to this vulnerability. Compensating controls, such as monitoring and exception tracking, should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. Thorough inventory checks should be conducted to identify affected systems and prioritize remediation efforts. Security teams should track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented. Additionally, defenders should verify affected deployments, review official advisories, and monitor for potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's impact on the organization depends on the affected systems and their exposure to potential attacks. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the vulnerability's severity and implement necessary measures to prevent potential stack exhaustion attacks. The CVE record was published on 2026-08-13T22:17:22.320Z and has not been modified since then, which may limit the availability of additional information. However, defenders should still take immediate action to patch or mitigate the risk, as the vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.5 and is classified as HIGH-severity. The DecodeElement function's faulty depth counter could lead to stack exhaustion, allowing attackers to potentially cause a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. Therefore, it is essential to review and apply updates, monitor for potential exploitation attempts, and prioritize remediation efforts for affected systems. The official CVE Program record and NVD detail page provide additional information on this vulnerability. Defenders should also consider implementing compensating controls, such as monitoring and exception tracking, to detect potential exploitation attempts. Furthermore, thorough inventory checks should be Conduct
Technical summary
The CVE-2026-56859 vulnerability affects the DecodeElement function in the Go programming language. A faulty depth counter could lead to stack exhaustion, allowing attackers to potentially cause a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.5 and is classified as HIGH-severity. Affected systems require immediate attention to prevent potential stack exhaustion attacks.
Defensive priority
High-severity vulnerability in Go, requiring immediate attention to prevent potential stack exhaustion attacks.
Recommended defensive actions
- Review and apply patches or updates provided by the Go vendor to address the DecodeElement vulnerability.
- Implement compensating controls, such as monitoring and exception tracking, to detect potential exploitation attempts.
- Conduct thorough inventory checks to identify affected systems and prioritize remediation efforts.
- Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up.
- Review the supplied official advisory or CVE record to validate affected scope, severity, and vendor guidance.
- Plan vendor-supported updates or mitigations through normal change control where exposure is confirmed.
- Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review.
Evidence notes
The CVE-2026-56859 vulnerability was reported in the Go programming language, specifically affecting the DecodeElement function. The issue could lead to stack exhaustion due to a faulty depth counter. Official records from the CVE Program and NVD provide details on this HIGH-severity vulnerability. Evidence is limited, and defenders should verify affected deployments, review official advisories, and monitor for potential exploitation attempts.
Sources and references
Verified primary and authoritative sources
-
CVE-2026-56859 CVE Program record
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-56859
CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.
-
CVE-2026-56859 NVD vulnerability detail
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-56859
NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.
Supplemental references
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://go.dev/cl/803320
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://go.dev/issue/80481
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://groups.google.com/g/golang-announce/c/94pEornpRlI
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2026-6088
Methodology and review provenance
AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.