Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:HSummary
CVE-2026-28224 is a high-severity NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476) vulnerability in Firebirdsql Firebird. Its CVSS base score is 8.2 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Endpoint Denial of Service (T1499); ranked at the 38th 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-2026-28224 is a null pointer dereference vulnerability (CWE-476) in Firebird, an open-source relational database management system. It affects versions prior to 5.0.4, 4.0.7, and 3.0.14. The issue occurs when the server receives an op_crypt_key_callback packet without prior authentication, as the port_server_crypt_callback handler is not initialized, leading to a server crash. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.2 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H), highlighting its high severity due to network accessibility and availability impact.
An unauthenticated attacker who knows only the Firebird server's IP address and port can exploit this flaw remotely. By sending a specially crafted op_crypt_key_callback packet, the attacker triggers the null pointer dereference, causing a denial-of-service condition through server crash. No authentication or user interaction is required, making it straightforward to execute repeated attacks that disrupt database availability.
Firebird has addressed this vulnerability in the fixed releases: version 5.0.4, 4.0.7, and 3.0.14. Security practitioners should upgrade to these versions immediately. Additional details are available in the Firebird GitHub security advisory (GHSA-xrcw-wpjx-pr95) and corresponding release notes.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-23468
Vulnerability Data
Firebird is an open-source relational database management system. In versions prior to 5.0.4, 4.0.7 and 3.0.14, when the server receives an op_crypt_key_callback packet without prior authentication, the port_server_crypt_callback handler is not initialized, resulting in a null pointer dereference and server…
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crash. An unauthenticated attacker who knows only the server's IP and port can exploit this to crash the server. This issue has been fixed in versions 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.