CVE-2026-97035: When using Clang or GCC, building a malicious package that uses cgo could cause unexpected code execution at build time or write files to arbitrary directories

When using Clang or GCC, building a malicious package that uses cgo could cause unexpected code execution at build time or write files to arbitrary directories

When using Clang or GCC, building a malicious package that uses cgo could cause unexpected code execution at build time or write files to arbitrary directories via "-gen-*" or "-gnat*" flags in "#cgo" directives. The "-g*" wildcard in the compiler and linker flag allowlists previously matched Clang's two-argument "-gen-cdb-fragment-path <dir>" flag and GCC's two-argument "-gnatO <file>" flag, permitting compilation database fragments and sidecar output files to be written to arbitrary directories and desynchronizing flag argument parsing between the go command and the compiler driver so that subsequent arguments could be passed as unvalidated positional inputs to the linker. "-gen-*" and "-gnat*" flags are now disallowed in "#cgo" compiler and linker flags.

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by security@golang.org

What it means for a small business

If your business uses cmd/go, install the vendor's update. If you're not sure whether you use it, ask whoever manages your computers.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.25%, higher than 16% of CVEs. That’s low, but low isn’t zero, and the odds jump the day someone publishes an exploit. Scored November 15, 2026, updated daily.

Check your own setup

Website check: reads what your site runs from the outside (WordPress version, plugins it can see, old server software) and matches it against this database.
Server check: what your web server says about itself, and whether that version has known flaws.

Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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