ewe: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition
CVE-2026-32873 is a high-severity loop with unreachable exit condition vulnerability in ewe from Vshakitskiy, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected ewe versions: >= 0.8.0, < 3.0.5. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.62% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 50% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of ewe you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vshakitskiy | ewe | >= 0.8.0, < 3.0.5 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
ewe is a Gleam web server. Versions 0.8.0 through 3.0.4 contain a bug in the handle_trailers function where rejected trailer headers (forbidden or undeclared) cause an infinite loop. When handle_trailers encounters such a trailer, three code paths (lines 520, 523, 526) recurse with the original buffer (rest) instead of advancing past the rejected header (Buffer(header_rest, 0)), causing decoder.decode_packet to re-parse the same header on every iteration. The resulting loop has no timeout or escape — the BEAM process permanently wedges at 100% CPU. Any application that calls ewe.read_body on chunked requests is affected, and this is exploitable by any unauthenticated remote client before control returns to application code, making an application-level workaround impossible. This issue is fixed in version 3.0.5.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition
The product contains an iteration or loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached, i.e., an infinite loop.
More Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition vulnerabilities (CWE-835)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Patches and release notes
Recent Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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