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CVE-2026-42245

net-imap: Quadratic complexity when reading response literals

Published: May 9, 2026Updated: May 18, 2026 Sources: CVE List NVDCWE-407
NVD MITRE
7.5CVSSHIGH
EPSS Score
0.4%
Top 67.5%
CISA KEV
Not in KEV
Exploits
No Known Exploits
Remediation
Patch Available

Description

Net::IMAP implements Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) client functionality in Ruby. Prior to versions 0.4.24, 0.5.14, and 0.6.4, Net::IMAP::ResponseReader has quadratic time complexity when reading large responses containing many string literals. A hostile server can send responses which are crafted to exhaust the client's CPU for a denial of service attack. This issue has been patched in versions 0.4.24, 0.5.14, and 0.6.4.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:NAC:LPR:NUI:NS:UC:NI:NA:H
Exploitability
AV:NAttack Vector
Network
AC:LAttack Complexity
Low
PR:NPrivileges Required
None
UI:NUser Interaction
None
Scope
S:UScope
Unchanged
Impact
C:NConfidentiality
None
I:NIntegrity
None
A:HAvailability
High
Open in CVSS calculator →

Weaknesses

CWE-407

Affected Products

net\ruby-lang
Library
OSS Libraries / generic-library
net-imapruby
Library
OSS Libraries / rubygems
ruby-langoss-projectOSS Librariesaka ruby, rexml
rubyoss-projectJPOSS Libraries

Attack Graph

Products CVE Techniques Tactics

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Exploitability

Official Patch Available
Workaround Available

MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique
Impact
View detailed technique mapping

References

https://github.com/ruby/net-imap/commit/6091f7d6b1f3514cafbfe39c76f2b5d73de3ca96
github.com
https://github.com/ruby/net-imap/commit/88d95231fc8afef11c1f074453f7d75b68c9dfda
github.com
https://github.com/ruby/net-imap/commit/de685f91a4a4cc75eb80da898c2bf8af08d34819
github.com
and 4 more references View all →

Timeline

Published
May 9, 2026
Last Updated
May 18, 2026

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