Service interruption via quadratic Received-comment stripping
Published Aug 25, 2026 · Updated Aug 26, 2026
Algorithmic complexity in GOVCERT.LU eml_parser before 3.0.2 allows remote attackers to saturate workers via crafted EML files. The eml_parser.routing.noparenthesis function repeatedly applies a regular expression while stripping nested CFWS comments from Received headers, causing processing time to grow quadratically with nesting depth. Exposure requires an application to parse attacker-supplied email; affected workers can sustain CPU saturation and queue backpressure, and synchronous pipelines can suffer service-level outages.
Summary
What happened
Algorithmic complexity in GOVCERT.LU eml_parser before 3.0.2 allows remote attackers to saturate workers via crafted EML files. The eml_parser.routing.noparenthesis function repeatedly applies a regular expression while stripping nested CFWS comments from Received headers, causing processing time to grow quadratically with nesting depth. Exposure requires an application to parse attacker-supplied email; affected workers can sustain CPU saturation and queue backpressure, and synchronous pipelines can suffer service-level outages.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-55620
- Published
- Aug 25, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 26, 2026
- Vendor
- GOVCERT.LU
- Product
- eml_parser
- Classifications
- CWE-1124, CWE-770, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 26, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=< 3.0.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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