CVE-2026-72711
Lean 4 before 4.32.2 Kernel Accepts Opaque Declaration With an Unbound Free Variable
The Lean 4 kernel does not check that the body of an opaque declaration is closed. environment::add_opaque omits the check_no_metavar_no_fvar call that the definition and theorem paths perform, so a value containing a free variable that is absent from the local context is not rejected outright. A metaprogram can first cause the kernel to create a temporary local of type False and record its type in the type checker's inference cache, then restore the local context while that cache entry persists on the same type checker instance, and finally submit an opaque declaration whose value is the now-unbound variable. The cache lookup answers before the branch that would test membership of the local context, so the kernel infers the cached type and admits an opaque constant of type False, from which any proposition follows. The declaration is accepted through the ordinary checked path at maximum kernel checking, without sorry, unsafeCast, debug.skipKernelTC, addDeclWithoutChecking, foreign code or a modified .olean file, and the result carries no axioms. Fixed in 4.32.2 by adding the missing closure check.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.8
Lean 4 before 4.32.2 Kernel Accepts Opaque Declaration With an Unbound Free Variable
The Lean 4 kernel does not check that the body of an opaque declaration is closed. environment::add_opaque omits the check_no_metavar_no_fvar call that the definition and theorem paths perform, so a value containing a free variable that is absent from the local context is not rejected outright. A metaprogram can first cause the kernel to create a temporary local of type False and record its type in the type checker's inference cache, then restore the local context while that cache entry persists on the same type checker instance, and finally submit an opaque declaration whose value is the now-unbound variable. The cache lookup answers before the branch that would test membership of the local context, so the kernel infers the cached type and admits an opaque constant of type False, from which any proposition follows. The declaration is accepted through the ordinary checked path at maximum kernel checking, without sorry, unsafeCast, debug.skipKernelTC, addDeclWithoutChecking, foreign code or a modified .olean file, and the result carries no axioms. Fixed in 4.32.2 by adding the missing closure check.
- Record
CVE-2026-72711- CVSS 4.0
- 6.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-65142
6.8
The Lean 4 kernel does not check that the body of an opaque declaration is closed. environment::add_opaque omits the check_no_metavar_no_fvar call that the definition and theorem paths perform, so a value containing a free variable that is absent from the local context is not rejected outright. A metaprogram can first cause the kernel to create a temporary local of type False and record its type in the type checker's inference cache, then restore the local context while that cache entry persists on the same type checker instance, and finally submit an opaque declaration whose value is the now-unbound variable. The cache lookup answers before the branch that would test membership of the local context, so the kernel infers the cached type and admits an opaque constant of type False, from which any proposition follows. The declaration is accepted through the ordinary checked path at maximum kernel checking, without sorry, unsafeCast, debug.skipKernelTC, addDeclWithoutChecking, foreign code or a modified .olean file, and the result carries no axioms. Fixed in 4.32.2 by adding the missing closure check.
- Record
EUVD-2026-65142- CVSS 4.0
- 6.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-fhmq-xvc2-q54h
6.8
The Lean 4 kernel does not check that the body of an opaque declaration is closed. environment:...
The Lean 4 kernel does not check that the body of an opaque declaration is closed. environment::add_opaque omits the check_no_metavar_no_fvar call that the definition and theorem paths perform, so a value containing a free variable that is absent from the local context is not rejected outright. A metaprogram can first cause the kernel to create a temporary local of type False and record its type in the type checker's inference cache, then restore the local context while that cache entry persists on the same type checker instance, and finally submit an opaque declaration whose value is the now-unbound variable. The cache lookup answers before the branch that would test membership of the local context, so the kernel infers the cached type and admits an opaque constant of type False, from which any proposition follows. The declaration is accepted through the ordinary checked path at maximum kernel checking, without sorry, unsafeCast, debug.skipKernelTC, addDeclWithoutChecking, foreign code or a modified .olean file, and the result carries no axioms. Fixed in 4.32.2 by adding the missing closure check.
- Record
GHSA-fhmq-xvc2-q54h- CVSS 4.0
- 6.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
6.8
The Lean 4 kernel does not check that the body of an opaque declaration is closed. environment::add_opaque omits the check_no_metavar_no_fvar call that the definition and theorem paths perform, so a value containing a free variable that is absent from the local context is not rejected outright. A metaprogram can first cause the kernel to create a temporary local of type False and record its type in the type checker's inference cache, then restore the local context while that cache entry persists on the same type checker instance, and finally submit an opaque declaration whose value is the now-unbound variable. The cache lookup answers before the branch that would test membership of the local context, so the kernel infers the cached type and admits an opaque constant of type False, from which any proposition follows. The declaration is accepted through the ordinary checked path at maximum kernel checking, without sorry, unsafeCast, debug.skipKernelTC, addDeclWithoutChecking, foreign code or a modified .olean file, and the result carries no axioms. Fixed in 4.32.2 by adding the missing closure check.
- Record
CVE-2026-72711- CVSS 4.0
- 6.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
6.8
Lean 4 before 4.32.2 Kernel Accepts Opaque Declaration With an Unbound Free Variable
The Lean 4 kernel does not check that the body of an opaque declaration is closed. environment::add_opaque omits the check_no_metavar_no_fvar call that the definition and theorem paths perform, so a value containing a free variable that is absent from the local context is not rejected outright. A metaprogram can first cause the kernel to create a temporary local of type False and record its type in the type checker's inference cache, then restore the local context while that cache entry persists on the same type checker instance, and finally submit an opaque declaration whose value is the now-unbound variable. The cache lookup answers before the branch that would test membership of the local context, so the kernel infers the cached type and admits an opaque constant of type False, from which any proposition follows. The declaration is accepted through the ordinary checked path at maximum kernel checking, without sorry, unsafeCast, debug.skipKernelTC, addDeclWithoutChecking, foreign code or a modified .olean file, and the result carries no axioms. Fixed in 4.32.2 by adding the missing closure check.
- Record
CVE-2026-72711- CVSS 4.0
- 6.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | endrazine/lean-cve-poc-14484 | 2026-08-23 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-72711 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.8) in Leanprover Lean4, published August 24, 2026. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.18%, the 7th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/leanprover/lean4
github.com/leanprover/lean4/issues/14484
github.com/leanprover/lean4/pull/14498
github.com/endrazine/lean-cve-poc-14484
vulncheck.com/advisories/lean-4-before-kernel-accepts-opaque-declaration-with-an-unbound-free-variable
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/10/26/3
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72711
github.com/advisories/GHSA-fhmq-xvc2-q54h
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/72xxx/CVE-2026-72711.json