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CVE-2026-43971
Published:August 18, 2026
Updated:September 01, 2026
Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output vulnerability in ninenines cowlib allows Link header directive smuggling via unescaped special characters in cow_link:link/1. cow_link:do_link/1 in cowlib interpolates the target URI, rel value, and attribute keys directly into the serialized Link: header value without escaping or token-grammar validation. A > byte in target prematurely closes the URI slot, allowing an attacker to append additional link entries with attacker-chosen rel directives. A " or \ in rel escapes the quoted string and opens new parameters. Any byte — including whitespace, =, and " — in an attribute key is emitted verbatim. Because browsers act on Link: directives such as rel="preconnect", rel="preload", and rel="prerender", an attacker who can influence these fields in an application that round-trips parsed Link headers through cow_link:link/1 can force victim browsers to make out-of-band connections to attacker-controlled origins. This issue affects cowlib: from 2.9.0 onward.
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CVSS v4
Base Score:
6.3
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
PRESENT
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
NONE
Vulnerable System Integrity
LOW
Vulnerable System Availability
NONE
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
LOW
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
5.8
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
LOW
Availability
NONE
Weakness Type (CWE)
Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output
EPSS
Base Score:
0.37