CVE-2025-43857

MEDIUM

Net::IMAP DoS via Malicious Server Literal Byte Count

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

Net::IMAP implements Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) client functionality in Ruby. Prior to versions 0.5.7, 0.4.20, 0.3.9, and 0.2.5, there is a possibility for denial of service by memory exhaustion when net-imap reads server responses. At any time while the client is connected, a malicious server can send can send a "literal" byte count, which is automatically read by the client's receiver thread. The response reader immediately allocates memory for the number of bytes indicated by the server response. This should not be an issue when securely connecting to trusted IMAP servers that are well-behaved. It can affect insecure connections and buggy, untrusted, or compromised servers (for example, connecting to a user supplied hostname). This issue has been patched in versions 0.5.7, 0.4.20, 0.3.9, and 0.2.5.

Scores

CVSS v3 6.5
EPSS 0.0039
EPSS Percentile 30.8%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact partial

Details

CWE
CWE-770 CWE-400 CWE-789 CWE-405
Status published
Products (2)
ruby-lang/net\ < 0.2.5
rubygems/net-imap 0.5.0 - 0.5.7RubyGems
Published Apr 28, 2025
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026