CVE-2026-42246 Vulnerability Analysis & Exploit Details

CVE-2026-42246
Vulnerability Scoring

7.4

/10

Very High Risk

Highly exploitable, CVE-2026-42246 poses a critical security risk that could lead to severe breaches.

Attack Complexity Details

Attack Complexity: High
Exploits require significant effort and special conditions.
Attack Vector: Network
Vulnerability is exploitable over a network without physical access.
Privileges Required: None
No privileges are required for exploitation.
Scope: Unchanged
Exploit remains within the originally vulnerable component.
User Interaction: None
No user interaction is necessary for exploitation.

CVE-2026-42246 Details

Status: Modified

Last updated: 🕐 24 Aug 2026, 13:18 UTC
Originally published on: 🕗 09 May 2026, 20:16 UTC

Time between publication and last update: 106 days

CVSS Release: version 3

CVSS3 Source

nvd@nist.gov

CVSS3 Type

Primary

CVSS3 Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CVE-2026-42246 Vulnerability Summary

CVE-2026-42246: Net::IMAP implements Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) client functionality in Ruby. Prior to versions 0.3.10, 0.4.24, 0.5.14, and 0.6.4, a man-in-the-middle attacker can cause Net::IMAP#starttls to return "successfully", without starting TLS. This issue has been patched in versions 0.3.10, 0.4.24, 0.5.14, and 0.6.4.

Assessing the Risk of CVE-2026-42246

Access Complexity Graph

The exploitability of CVE-2026-42246 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).

Exploitability Analysis for CVE-2026-42246

CVE-2026-42246 presents a challenge to exploit due to its high attack complexity, but the absence of privilege requirements still makes it a viable target for skilled attackers. A thorough security review is advised.

Understanding AC and PR

A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.

Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.

Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.

CVSS Score Breakdown Chart

Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-42246, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.

CIA Impact Analysis

Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-42246, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.

Confidentiality: High
Exploiting CVE-2026-42246 can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, severely compromising data privacy.
Integrity: High
CVE-2026-42246 could allow unauthorized modifications to data, potentially affecting system reliability and trust.
Availability: None
CVE-2026-42246 does not impact system availability.

CVE-2026-42246 References

External References

CWE Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-325

CAPEC Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification

Subvert Code-signing Facilities CAPEC-68 Many languages use code signing facilities to vouch for code's identity and to thus tie code to its assigned privileges within an environment. Subverting this mechanism can be instrumental in an attacker escalating privilege. Any means of subverting the way that a virtual machine enforces code signing classifies for this style of attack.

Vulnerable Configurations

cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.1.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.1.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.1.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.1.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.4:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.4:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.5:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.2.5:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.4:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.4:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.4.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.4.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.5:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.5:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.6:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.6:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.7:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.7:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.8:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.8:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.9:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.3.9:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.4:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.4:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.5:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.5:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.6:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.6:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.7:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.7:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.8:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.8:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.9:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.9:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.9.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.9.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.10:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.10:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.11:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.11:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.12:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.12:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.13:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.13:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.14:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.14:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.15:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.15:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.16:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.16:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.17:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.17:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.18:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.18:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.19:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.19:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.20:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.20:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.21:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.21:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.22:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.22:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.23:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.4.23:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.4:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.4:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.5:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.5:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.6:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.6:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.7:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.7:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.8:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.8:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.9:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.9:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.10:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.10:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.11:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.11:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.12:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.12:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.13:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.5.13:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.6.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.6.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.6.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.6.1:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.6.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.6.2:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.6.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:net\:\:imap:0.6.3:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*

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