CVE-2017-9732
The read_packet function in knc (Kerberised NetCat) before 1.11-1 is vulnerable to denial of service (memory exhaustion) that can be exploited remotely without authentication, possibly affecting another services running on the targeted host.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (4.04%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
The read_packet function in knc (Kerberised NetCat) before 1.11-1 is vulnerable to denial of service (memory exhaustion) that can be exploited remotely without authentication, possibly affecting another services running on the targeted host.
- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- EPSS
- 4.04% probability · 91th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-400
- Affected
- secure-endpoints/kerberised netcat
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 4.0% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/150534/knc-Kerberized-NetCat-Denial-Of-Service.htmlExploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Nov/65Exploit, Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/elric1/knc/commit/f237f3e09ecbaf59c897f5046538a7b1a3fa40c1Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/irsl/knc-memory-exhaustion/Exploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/150534/knc-Kerberized-NetCat-Denial-Of-Service.htmlExploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Nov/65Exploit, Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/elric1/knc/commit/f237f3e09ecbaf59c897f5046538a7b1a3fa40c1Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/irsl/knc-memory-exhaustion/Exploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.