CVE-2026-83742: wstrncat() unsigned integer underflow leads to an off-by-one null write in wolfSSH on non-Windows platforms
Unsigned integer underflow in wstrncat() in src/port.c in wolfSSL wolfSSH from v1.4.11 through v1.5.0 on non-Windows platforms allows an authenticated remote attacker to write one out-of-bounds null byte past the end of a stack buffer by sending a crafted SFTP path. wolfSSHRealPath() in src/ssh.c appends each path component with a remaining-size bound (outSz - curSz) rather than the full destination size, so once the accumulated path reaches half the output buffer the sizet computation n - strlen(s1) - 1 wraps to near SIZEMAX. The strncat() call is then effectively unbounded and copies the whole component; when that component exactly fills the remainder of the buffer, its terminating null is written one byte past the end. The caller's own length check keeps the copied data inside the buffer, so the overflow is limited to that single null byte, which may corrupt an adjacent stack value and crash the process. Applications that call the public wolfSSHRealPath() with an output buffer smaller than the input path are additionally exposed to an unbounded copy, because the word32 expression outSz - segSz in that length check also wraps.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which deployments are exposed?
Affected deployments are non-Windows systems using wolfSSH versions v1.4.11 through v1.5.0. The SFTP path requires an authenticated remote user, while applications calling the public wolfSSH_RealPath() API can also be exposed when the output buffer is smaller than the input path.
What does an attacker need to do to trigger the SFTP-path issue?
The attacker needs authenticated access and must send a crafted SFTP path. The vulnerable path construction is reached after accumulated path components consume about half of the output buffer, allowing a later component to cause a null byte write immediately past the stack buffer.
What can application developers do while assessing exposure?
Review uses of wolfSSH_RealPath() and ensure its output buffer is not smaller than the input path. This condition can cause the caller-side length calculation to wrap and permit an unbounded copy.