CVE-2024-53920

In elisp-mode.el in GNU Emacs before 30.1, a user who chooses to invoke elisp-completion-at-point (for code completion) on untrusted Emacs Lisp source code can trigger unsafe Lisp macro expansion that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. (This unsafe expansion also occurs if a user chooses to enable on-the-fly diagnosis that byte compiles untrusted Emacs Lisp source code.)

What this means for your business

It affects Gnu Emacs. It matters if your company, or a supplier that handles your data, runs it.
An attacker can use it only with access to the machine itself, without a login, but only after tricking someone into an action such as opening a file or a link.
FIRST's prediction model gives it a 0.6% chance of attack attempts being seen in the next 30 days, ranking above 47% of all known flaws.

What to do

1Check whether your company or your suppliers run Gnu Emacs, and which version. The affected versions are listed further down this page.
2If you do, follow the vendor's guidance. No patch reference has been published yet.

Not sure if your company is exposed?

Fastnexa’s certified penetration testers can check whether attackers could use this flaw, or others like it, against your websites, apps and network. The full test is free for our first 10 founding clients until 31 December 2026.

Check if you’re exposed Book a call

Scoring

CVSS: 7.8 (v3.1)
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-94
Assigned by: cve@mitre.org

Dates

Published: 2024-11-27
Last modified: 2026-09-14
Sources: NVD

Affected products

Gnu Emacs- 30.1

As listed in the NVD configuration data. Not a statement about your estate.