CVE-2026-27017: refraction-networking utls · Use of a Cryptographic Primitive with a Risky Implementation
Affects refraction-networking utlsSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 2.3 Low : upgrade to 1.8.1 when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:55 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 6% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 1.8.1
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 20 Feb 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: 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 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade refraction-networking utls to 1.8.1.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| refraction-networkingutls | Affected
| Fixed in
|
AI-suggested
Organizations and developers using uTLS should upgrade to version 1.8.1 or later, where the cipher suite selection logic for GREASE ECH has been corrected to match Chrome's behavior. For those unable to upgrade immediately, a temporary mitigation is to disable GREASE ECH usage in uTLS configurations, as the vulnerability only affects this mode. Additionally, thorough testing should be conducted to ensure that TLS handshake fingerprinting aligns with expected patterns to avoid unintended information leakage. Monitoring network traffic for anomalous TLS ClientHello fingerprints can help detect vulnerable clients. Developers should also review their TLS customization code to ensure consistent cipher suite selection across all handshake extensions. Finally, maintain awareness of updates from refraction-networking and related projects to promptly apply security patches.
Description
uTLS is a fork of crypto/tls, created to customize ClientHello for fingerprinting resistance while still using it for the handshake. Versions 1.6.0 through 1.8.0 contain a fingerprint mismatch with Chrome when using GREASE ECH, related to cipher suite selection. When Chrome selects the preferred cipher suite in the outer ClientHello and for ECH, it does so consistently based on hardware support—for example, if it prefers AES for the outer cipher suite, it also uses AES for ECH. However, the Chrome parrot in uTLS hardcodes AES preference for outer cipher suites but selects the ECH cipher suite randomly between AES and ChaCha20. This creates a 50% chance of selecting ChaCha20 for ECH while using AES for the outer cipher suite, a combination impossible in Chrome. This issue only affects GREASE ECH; in real ECH, Chrome selects the first valid cipher suite when AES is preferred, which uTLS handles correctly. This issue has been fixed in version 1.8.1.