Unauthenticated Firebird Crash: Null Pointer Dereference Exposes Databases
A critical vulnerability, CVE-2026-28224, impacts Firebird, an open-source relational database management system. The National Vulnerability Database reports that versions prior to 5.0.4, 4.0.7, and 3.0.14 are susceptible to an unauthenticated null pointer dereference. This flaw allows an attacker to crash the server simply by sending a malformed op_crypt_key_callback packet without prior authentication.
The impact is direct and severe: an unauthenticated attacker, needing only the server’s IP and port, can trigger a denial-of-service condition. This effectively takes the database offline, disrupting operations for any organization relying on vulnerable Firebird installations. The National Vulnerability Database assigns a CVSS score of 8.2 (HIGH), reflecting the ease of exploitation and high impact on availability.
Firebird has addressed this issue in versions 5.0.4, 4.0.7, and 3.0.14. Organizations running older versions face a significant operational risk. Patching is not optional; it’s a critical, immediate defensive action to prevent unauthenticated server crashes.
What This Means For You
- If your organization uses Firebird, you must immediately verify your database versions. Any Firebird instance running older than 5.0.4, 4.0.7, or 3.0.14 is vulnerable to an unauthenticated denial-of-service attack. Patch these systems without delay to prevent server crashes and maintain operational continuity.
Related ATT&CK Techniques
🛡️ Detection Rules
5 rules · 6 SIEM formats5 detection rules auto-generated for this incident, mapped to MITRE ATT&CK. Sigma YAML is free — export to any SIEM format via the Intel Bot.
Web Application Exploitation Attempt — CVE-2026-28224
Indicators of Compromise
| ID | Type | Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-28224 | Vulnerability | CVE-2026-28224 |
| CVE-2026-28224 | Affected Product | versions |
Written by SCW Vulnerability Desk
Source & Attribution
| Source Platform | NVD |
| Channel | National Vulnerability Database |
| Published | April 17, 2026 at 22:16 UTC |
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