Pre-authentication server crash via unchecked WebSocket copy
Published Dec 16, 2023 · Updated Nov 4, 2025
Buffer overflow in UnrealIRCd 6.1.0 through 6.1.3 allows remote attackers to crash the server via oversized WebSocket packets. During frame reassembly, one WebSocket parsing function checks packet length against a larger first buffer, but a second function uses memcpy to copy the data into a smaller static buffer without another bounds check. A nondefault WebSocket listen block must be enabled; exploitation is pre-authentication and normally causes a crash, while vendor testing found no effects beyond a crash.
Summary
What happened
Buffer overflow in UnrealIRCd 6.1.0 through 6.1.3 allows remote attackers to crash the server via oversized WebSocket packets. During frame reassembly, one WebSocket parsing function checks packet length against a larger first buffer, but a second function uses memcpy to copy the data into a smaller static buffer without another bounds check. A nondefault WebSocket listen block must be enabled; exploitation is pre-authentication and normally causes a crash, while vendor testing found no effects beyond a crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-50784
- Published
- Dec 16, 2023
- Updated
- Nov 4, 2025
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-120, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 16, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
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What is affected?
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Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
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Your stack
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