CVE-2023-26151Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Server hang via zero-length packet parsing loop

Published Oct 3, 2023 · Updated Sep 20, 2024

Infinite-loop denial of service in FreeOpcUa asyncua before 0.9.96 allows remote attackers to hang a server with a malformed packet. In data_received, a zero-size secure-message header produces a negative body size, so buffer slicing advances by zero and the receive loop reprocesses the same bytes. An unauthenticated TCP connection to an exposed OPC UA server is sufficient; the loop consumes memory and interrupts service.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.03%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Infinite-loop denial of service in FreeOpcUa asyncua before 0.9.96 allows remote attackers to hang a server with a malformed packet. In data_received, a zero-size secure-message header produces a negative body size, so buffer slicing advances by zero and the receive loop reprocesses the same bytes. An unauthenticated TCP connection to an exposed OPC UA server is sufficient; the loop consumes memory and interrupts service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-26151
Published
Oct 3, 2023
Updated
Sep 20, 2024
Vendor
FreeOpcUa
Product
asyncua
Classifications
CWE-835, CWE-400, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 3, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 20, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <0.9.96

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

FreeOpcUa · asyncuaversion=0 <0.9.96

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.3SnykCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-835Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')
CWE-400Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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