CVE-2026-121969: quozl netrek-client-cow · Stack-based Buffer Overflow
Affects quozl netrek-client-cowSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.1 High.
Data as of 4 Nov 2026, 21:42 UTC
Thin evidence
One scorer or none| CNA (VulnCheck) | CVSS 4.0 | 7.1 |
|---|---|---|
| CNA (VulnCheck) | CVSS 3.1 | 6.5 |
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 4 Nov 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 4 Nov 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| quozlnetrek-client-cow | Affected
| Fixed in– |
GitHubquozl/netrek-client-cowpkg:github/quozl/netrek-client-cowOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
Until a fix is available, users should avoid connecting to untrusted Netrek servers or use network protections to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks on the plaintext TCP connection.
Description
CVE-2026-121969 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in netrek-client-cow versions up to 3.3.3. The flaw exists in the handleSMessage() function in short.c, where oversized SP_S_MESSAGE packets can overflow a 100-byte stack buffer. This vulnerability allows a malicious Netrek server or a man-in-the-middle attacker on the plaintext TCP connection to send specially crafted messages that overwrite stack memory, potentially crashing the client.
References
- github.com/quozl/netrek-client-cow/commit/fb322e74abee3b0b76a9c5a31df6aab5585d3127 (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/quozl/netrek-client-cow (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/quozl/netrek-client-cow/blob/3.3.3/short.c (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/quozl/netrek-client-cow/issues/11 (opens in a new tab)
- vulncheck.com/advisories/netrek-client-cow-through-3.3.3-stack-buffer-overflow-via-handlesmessage (opens in a new tab)