CVE-2026-11404 — Cesanta Mongoose Out-of-Bounds Read in MG_TLS_BUILTIN ClientHello Session ID Parsing
Cesanta Mongoose before 7.22 contains an out-of-bounds read in the built-in TLS server function mg_tls_server_recv_hello(), which uses an attacker-controlled session_id_len byte from a TLS ClientHello as a buffer index without validating it against the length of received data. A remote, unauthenticated attacker can send a single crafted ClientHello with an oversized session id length to read past the receive buffer, crashing any HTTPS, MQTTS, or WSS service built on MG_TLS_BUILTIN.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Technical severity (high)+6
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Cesanta Mongoose).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.7 | CVSS 4.0 | High | — | — | disclosure@vulncheck.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 8.7 | CVSS 4.0 | High | — | — | VulnCheck via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 3.9 | 3.6 | disclosure@vulncheck.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | VulnCheck via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: disclosure@vulncheck.com) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · cesanta/mongoose
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- CVSS changed · 7.5
- Source status changed · → Deferred
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
2 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-73252 Mongoose: Unauthenticated remote heap out-of-bounds read in built-in TLS: off-by-one length check in mg_tls_recv_record() underflows recv_len to SIZE_MAX 1d
- High CVE-2026-73261 Mongoose: handle_opt() missing opts[1] > len check — 1-byte OOB read corrupts TCP MSS, silences mg_send() per connection 1d
- High CVE-2026-73260 Mongoose: Out-of-bounds Read via length-counter underflow in built-in TLS X.509 DER parser 1d
- High CVE-2026-63626 Mongoose: ppp_handle_ipv6cp() uses attacker-controlled length without bounds check — OOB read and heap overflow (PPP/PPPoE, MG_ENABLE_IPV6) 1d
- Medium CVE-2026-73258 Incorrect Comparison in Cesanta Mongoose Aug 20, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-73259 Cross-site Scripting (XSS) in Cesanta Mongoose Aug 20, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No FIRST EPSS score.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-11404 is "Cesanta Mongoose Out-of-Bounds Read in MG_TLS_BUILTIN ClientHello Session ID Parsing", rated High. It affects Mongoose (Cesanta); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.5 describes technical severity. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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