---
id: CVE-2026-85442
title: >-
  MOOS core-moos through 10.4.0 fails to validate packet length declarations in
  CMOOSCommPkt::OnBytesWritten(), allowing unauthenticated attackers to trigger
  unbounded buffer allocation by sending crafted wire packets
summary: >-
  MOOS core-moos through 10.4.0 fails to validate packet length declarations in
  CMOOSCommPkt::OnBytesWritten(), allowing unauthenticated attackers to trigger
  unbounded buffer allocation by sending crafted wire packets. Attackers can
  send p…
severity: high
cvss: 7.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-789
vendor: themoos
product: core-moos
affected:
  - core-moos < 10.4.0
patched:
  - core-moos 10.4.0
published: '2026-09-03'
updated: '2026-10-14'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-14T23:30:32.900'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-85442'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/themoos/core-moos'
    label: disclosure@vulncheck.com
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/themoos/core-moos/blob/ec9c77c68fcbdef8f5e4c60fe243acd223433f0c/Core/libMOOS/Comms/MOOSCommPkt.cpp#L99
    label: disclosure@vulncheck.com
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/themoos/core-moos/commit/e7ea624a7b7828b47fcd35fc43feec1f5cfbbe21
    label: disclosure@vulncheck.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/themoos/core-moos/pull/81'
    label: disclosure@vulncheck.com
  - url: >-
      https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/moos-core-moos-through-10.4.0-moosdb-denial-of-service-via-unbounded-packet-allocation
    label: disclosure@vulncheck.com
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00762
epssPercentile: 0.55162
ingestedAt: '2026-09-08T20:10:03.161Z'
---

## Overview

MOOS core-moos through 10.4.0 fails to validate packet length declarations in CMOOSCommPkt::OnBytesWritten(), allowing unauthenticated attackers to trigger unbounded buffer allocation by sending crafted wire packets. Attackers can send packets with large declared lengths to exhaust server memory and cause denial of service before client authentication completes.

## Affected

- `core-moos < 10.4.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `core-moos 10.4.0`