CVE-2026-125400
Received Received - Intake

Use-After-Free in Ettercap Network Filter

Publication date: 2026-11-10

Last updated on: 2026-11-10

Assigner: VulnCheck

Description
Ettercap through 0.8.4.1 contains a use-after-free vulnerability in func_pcre() in src/ec_filter.c that reads the PCRE2 ovector after freeing match data. Network-adjacent attackers can send packets matching a loaded pcre_regex() substitution filter to corrupt memory and potentially execute code as root.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-11-10
Last Modified
2026-11-10
Generated
2026-11-10
AI Q&A
2026-11-10
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-125400
EUVD
EUVD-2026-120563

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
Ettercap ettercap From 0 (inc) to 0.8.4.1 (inc)

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Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-416 The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.

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Executive Summary

CVE-2026-125400 is a use-after-free vulnerability in Ettercap versions up to 0.8.4.1. The issue occurs in the func_pcre() function in src/ec_filter.c where PCRE2 match data is freed but the ovector is still accessed afterward. This allows network-adjacent attackers to send specially crafted packets matching a loaded pcre_regex substitution filter, enabling memory corruption and potential remote code execution as root.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check if Ettercap version 0.8.4.1 or earlier is installed on your system. Run: ettercap -v. If the version is 0.8.4.1 or below, the system is vulnerable. Monitor network traffic for packets matching loaded PCRE2 substitution filters, as attackers can exploit this via crafted packets.

Impact Analysis

An attacker within network range could exploit this to corrupt memory and execute arbitrary code with root privileges. This could lead to full system compromise, unauthorized access, or denial of service on affected systems running vulnerable Ettercap versions.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized code execution with root privileges, potentially exposing sensitive data. For GDPR, this may result in unauthorized access to personal data, violating confidentiality and integrity requirements. For HIPAA, it could compromise protected health information, leading to breaches of security rules and unauthorized disclosures.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update Ettercap to the latest version to patch the use-after-free flaw. If updating is not possible, disable Ettercap's PCRE2 filter substitution feature or restrict Ettercap to non-privileged use. Ensure network segmentation to limit exposure to network-adjacent attackers.

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