Netrek-client-cow through 3.3.3 Out-of-Bounds Read via SP_S_MESSAGE Packets
Affects netrek-client-cow 3.3.3 and earlier. The checked facts list no vendor rating and no fixed version.
Written by anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 from the sources below. Verify against them.
- Exploited
- No known exploitation
- Fix
- Fix or patch referenced
- Who is exposed
- Specific setups only
Do first: Check whether your setup matches what the bug needs. Affects netrek-client-cow 3.3.3 and earlier.
- Exploitation?/40Exploitation: unknown (data gap). No CISA SSVC exploitation rating yet
- Exposure12/25Specific setups only, reachable over the network without a login
- Reach?/20Reach: unknown (data gap). No tracked technology or package matched
- Severity7.1/10CVSS 7.1
- No patch0/5No signal
What would change the score
- Would score about 69 if added to CISA KEV
- Would score about 64 if CISA's SSVC rates exploitation active
CVE-2026-121968 is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. No public exploit code is tracked. It is rated CVSS 7.1 (high) and affects netrek-client-cow; a fix or patch is referenced.
- Last modified
- Where the record stands: published, rejected by its publisher, or superseded by another id.What do these mean? →
- Published
- Whether CISA lists it in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog: proof that attackers are using it.What do these mean? →
- Not listed in CISA KEV
- A 0-100 score for how much a CVE matters across the industry: exploitation, exposure, how widely the software is used, severity and whether a fix exists.What do these mean? →
- 19/100 · provisional
- How many real-world setups can hit the bug, from the vendor's advisory and CISA data. It does not know your setup.What do these mean? →
- Specific setups only
- Fix
- Fix or patch referenced
- Whether working attack code is public (Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei or GitHub). Public code makes attacks easier.What do these mean? →
- None on Exploit-DB, Metasploit or GitHub
Summary
The Netrek client cow, through version 3.3.3, can be crashed by a malicious server or by an attacker who can intercept its unencrypted TCP connection, reaching it remotely without logging in and requiring the victim to take some action. The flaw is an out-of-bounds read in the client's handling of server messages, which causes a denial of service.
Read the original description
Netrek-client-cow through 3.3.3 contains an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in short.c handleSMessage() that allows malicious servers to crash clients via an unchecked m_recpt index. Attackers controlling a Netrek server or intercepting the plaintext TCP connection can send SP_S_MESSAGE packets with m_recpt of 36 or more, reading past players[] and shipnos to deny service.
What to do
Check whether your setup matches what the bug needs.
Affects netrek-client-cow 3.3.3 and earlier.Apply the patch listed under Evidence.
Timeline
- CVE published
- First seen by cve.now
Affected versions
- quozl netrek-client-cow
through 3.3.3
Evidence 4
- Patch
- Repository
- Repository
- Link
Corrections
None so far.
Something wrong on this page? Report an error. Every fix is listed here.
Questions about CVE-2026-121968
Is CVE-2026-121968 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: cve.now feed data
What does this mean?
A malicious Netrek server, or an attacker who intercepts the plaintext TCP connection, can crash the client through an unchecked m_recpt index, causing denial of service.Source: vulncheck.com
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-121968?
netrek-client-cow: through 3.3.3.Source: cve.now feed data
Am I affected, and how do I check?
Versions of netrek-client-cow 3.3.3 and earlier are listed as affected. To check, compare the installed client version against 3.3.3.Source: vulncheck.com
How do I fix CVE-2026-121968?
The checked facts name no fixed version, so no upgrade target can be given here. Check the vendor's release notes for a version newer than 3.3.3.Source: vulncheck.com