socat versions 1.8.0.0 through 1.8.1.1 contain a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows a malicious SOCKS5 proxy server to overwrite adjacent heap memory by exploiting a sign-extension flaw in the DOMAINNAME reply parser. During connection setup, the domain name length byte is read through a signed char field causing a negative bytes_to_read value that is implicitly converted to size_t, resulting in an unbounded heap write into the 262-byte reply buffer with attacker-controlled size and content.
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/socat-heap-buffer-overflow-via-socks5-reply-parser
Published: 2026-06-25
Updated: 2026-06-26
Base Score: 10
Vector: CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Severity: Critical
Base Score: 9.8
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Severity: Critical
Base Score: 9.2
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Severity: Critical
EPSS: 0.00296