CVE-2026-42245
HIGHDescription
Net::IMAP implements Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) client functionality in Ruby. Prior to versions 0.4.24, 0.5.14, and 0.6.4, Net::IMAP::ResponseReader has quadratic time complexity when reading large responses containing many string literals. A hostile server can send responses which are crafted to exhaust the client's CPU for a denial of service attack. This issue has been patched in versions 0.4.24, 0.5.14, and 0.6.4.
How to fix
This vulnerability affects an unusually large number of packages. The highest-confidence fixes are shown above; the full list is longer. Check the referenced advisories for complete coverage.
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Low risk: more likely to be exploited than 35% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-407 vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2020-27223 | Medium | 5.2 | 78% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2022-36021 | Medium | 5.5 | 61% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2021-33582 | High | 7.5 | 3.1% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2024-43485 | High | 7.5 | 3.1% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2024-43484 | High | 7.5 | 2.9% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2016-10396 | High | 7.5 | 2.9% | - | - |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2026-42245?
Published advisories record a fix for 144 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2026-42245 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2026-42245 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 0.41% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 35% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2026-42245?
CVE-2026-42245 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.5, rated high. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2026-42245 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for ruby3.4 (Amazon), ruby3.4-bundled-gems (Amazon), ruby3.4-bundled-gems-debuginfo (Amazon), ruby3.4-debuginfo (Amazon), and 140 more. Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
Embed a live status badge for CVE-2026-42245
Markdown
[](https://tridentstack.com/cve/CVE-2026-42245)HTML
<a href="https://tridentstack.com/cve/CVE-2026-42245"><img src="https://tridentstack.com/cve/badge/CVE-2026-42245.svg" alt="CVE-2026-42245"></a>Check your Linux endpoints for this class of vulnerability
TridentStack Control continuously scans Linux endpoints for known vulnerabilities and deploys the fixes from the same console. 200 endpoints free forever, no credit card.
This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-07-24.