Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HSummary
CVE-2026-28212 is a high-severity NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476) vulnerability in Firebirdsql Firebird. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Endpoint Denial of Service (T1499); ranked at the 40th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SA-15 (Development Process, Standards, and Tools) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2026-28212 is a null pointer dereference vulnerability in Firebird, an open-source relational database management system. In versions prior to 6.0.0, 5.0.4, 4.0.7, and 3.0.14, the server processes an op_slice network packet by passing an unprepared structure containing a null pointer to the SDL_info() function, resulting in a server crash. This flaw, classified under CWE-476, carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H), highlighting its potential for high availability impact.
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely by sending a crafted op_slice packet to the Firebird server port, triggering the null pointer dereference and causing a denial-of-service condition through server termination. No privileges, user interaction, or special access are required, making it accessible over the network with low complexity.
Mitigation is addressed in the official Firebird releases: version 6.0.0, 5.0.4, 4.0.7, and 3.0.14, available via GitHub release tags. The Firebird security advisory (GHSA-9884-9qm3-hqch) details the issue and recommends upgrading to these patched versions to prevent exploitation.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-23462
Vulnerability Data
Firebird is an open-source relational database management system. In versions prior to 6.0.0, 5.0.4, 4.0.7 and 3.0.14, when processing an op_slice network packet, the server passes an unprepared structure containing a null pointer to the SDL_info() function, resulting in a…
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null pointer dereference and server crash. An unauthenticated attacker can trigger this by sending a crafted packet to the server port. This issue has been fixed in versions 6.0.0, 5.0.4, 4.0.7 and 3.0.14.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Developer testing and evaluation (including static analysis) directly finds null-dereference bugs before deployment.
Documented development standards and tools can enforce null-safety rules and safe pointer usage.
Engineering principles can mandate defensive coding such as explicit null checks before dereference.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure SDLC practices (static analysis, code review, safe coding standards) directly prevent NULL dereference bugs during development.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing can detect NULL dereference defects before release.
Secure SDLC mandates defensive coding practices that can prevent NULL dereferences.
Application security requirements can specify input validation and pointer-safety rules.
Secure architecture principles encourage defensive design that avoids unsafe pointer use.
Secure coding standards directly require NULL-pointer checks and safe dereference patterns.