MemEx DoS via Unbounded Multi-line Response in SmtpResponseDecoder (Apache MINA)
CVE-2026-93563 Published on September 18, 2026
Io.netty/netty-codec-smtp: netty: unbounded multi-line response accumulation in smtpresponsedecoder leads to memory-exhaustion dos
A flaw was found in Netty's `SmtpResponseDecoder` component. A remote attacker, acting as a malicious or man-in-the-middle (MITM) SMTP server, could exploit this by sending a specially crafted, unbounded multi-line SMTP response without a terminator. This vulnerability leads to unbounded memory accumulation within the client's Java Virtual Machine (JVM) heap, causing an `OutOfMemoryError` and a denial of service (DoS) due to a process crash.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-93563 can be exploited with network access, and does not require authorization privileges or user interaction. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to have no impact on confidentiality and integrity, and a high impact on availability.
Timeline
Reported to Red Hat.
Made public.
Weakness Type
OWASP Top Ten 2017 Category A9 - Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities
Weaknesses in this category are related to the A9 category in the OWASP Top Ten 2017.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-93563
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