CVE-2026-107161

HIGH
Published Oct 7, 2026 CWE-122

Description

A heap-based buffer overflow flaw was found in Cyrus SASL. The add_to_challenge() function in the DIGEST-MD5 plugin computes the size of the buffer needed for a challenge/response field before DIGEST-MD5 quoting is applied, but does not recompute that size when quoting (escaping special characters) makes the value longer. The under-sized buffer is then passed to strcat(), causing a heap-based out-of-bounds write whose size depends on attacker-controlled input. A malicious or on-path DIGEST-MD5 (or HTTP Digest) server can trigger this flaw in a connecting client by supplying a crafted challenge field, such as realm or nonce, most likely resulting in a crash of the client application.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.5
HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-122 CWE-122

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-107161? +
A heap-based buffer overflow flaw was found in Cyrus SASL. The add_to_challenge() function in the DIGEST-MD5 plugin computes the size of the buffer needed for a challenge/response field before DIGEST-MD5 quoting is applied, but does not recompute that size when quoting (escaping special characters) makes the value longer. The under-sized buffer is then passed to strcat(), causing a heap-based out-of-bounds write whose size depends on attacker-controlled input. A malicious or on-path DIGEST-MD5 (or HTTP Digest) server can trigger this flaw in a connecting client by supplying a crafted challenge field, such as realm or nonce, most likely resulting in a crash of the client application. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2026-107161? +
CVE-2026-107161 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.
How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-107161? +
You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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