netrek-client-cow through 3.3.3 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in handleSMessage() in short.c that allows malicious servers to overflow a 100-byte stack buffer by sending oversized SP_S_MESSAGE packets. A malicious Netrek server or man-in-the-middle on the plaintext TCP connection can send overlong or unterminated message bodies to write server-controlled bytes onto the stack and crash the client.

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Attack Requirements None

User Interaction Passive

Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact None

Vulnerable System Integrity Impact None

Vulnerable System Availability Impact High

Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None

Subsequent System Integrity Impact None

Subsequent System Availability Impact None

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction Required

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
quozl netrek-client-cow unaffected
Version Status Constraints
0 affected ≤ 3.3.3

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Project Subscriptions

No data.

Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
https://github.com/quozl/netrek-client-cow cve-icon
https://github.com/quozl/netrek-client-cow/blob/3.3.3/short.c#L949 cve-icon
https://github.com/quozl/netrek-client-cow/commit/fb322e74abee3b0b76a9c5a31df6aab5585d3127 cve-icon
https://github.com/quozl/netrek-client-cow/issues/11 cve-icon
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/netrek-client-cow-through-3.3.3-stack-buffer-overflow-via-handlesmessage cve-icon
History

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 20:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description netrek-client-cow through 3.3.3 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in handleSMessage() in short.c that allows malicious servers to overflow a 100-byte stack buffer by sending oversized SP_S_MESSAGE packets. A malicious Netrek server or man-in-the-middle on the plaintext TCP connection can send overlong or unterminated message bodies to write server-controlled bytes onto the stack and crash the client.
Title netrek-client-cow through 3.3.3 Stack Buffer Overflow via handleSMessage
Weaknesses CWE-121
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 7.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-11-04T20:36:47.609Z

Reserved: 2026-11-04T12:48:39.813Z

Link: CVE-2026-121969

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

No data.

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses