Linker script injection via split -Wl, flags and Darwin or symbol linker flags in cgo in cmd/go

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

not scored

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Building a malicious package that uses cgo could cause arbitrary code execution at link time by passing linker script files to the host linker via "#cgo LDFLAGS". Split "-Wl," flags that consume a following argument (such as "-Wl,-rpath", "-Wl,--just-symbols", and "-Wl,-undefined") previously accepted a bare second argument without a "-Wl," prefix, which the compiler driver passes directly to the linker as a positional input file. Additionally, when using GNU ld.bfd, flags such as "-framework", "-Wl,-framework", "-Wl,-undefined", "-Wl,--just-symbols", "-Wl,-R", "-Wl,-subsystem", and (on non-Darwin platforms) "-Wl,-sectcreate" could cause ld.bfd to interpret their arguments as linker scripts if they named a regular file on disk. The go command now requires a "-Wl," prefix on the second token of split "-Wl," flags (except "-Wl,-R"), verifies that these flags do not reference linker script files, and disallows bare "-Wl,--warn-backrefs-exclude".

Published by the source

11 Nov 2026, 02:51 UTC

Last modified by the source

11 Nov 2026, 03:15 UTC

Source last checked

11 Nov 2026, 07:20 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 11 Nov 2026

   Published from osv record GO-2026-6854

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-97037

Advisory: Linker script injection via split -Wl, flags and Darwin or symbol linker flags in cgo in cmd/go
IDs: CVE-2026-97037
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-97037 (revision 1, source checked 11 Nov 2026, 07:20 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Unrated
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: toolchain 1.27.4, 1.26.11. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go toolchain: affected < 1.26.11; >= 1.27.0-0, < 1.27.4; fixed in 1.26.11, 1.27.4

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go toolchain: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on toolchain.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GO-2026-6854 (OSV record GO-2026-6854 lists affected ranges: Go toolchain >=0 =1.27.0-0 <1.27.4 (fixed))

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