CVE-2026-53525 (GCVE-0-2026-53525)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-21 22:19 – Updated: 2026-08-21 22:19
VLAI
Title
WeeChat has Non-Constant-Time Password Hash Comparison in Relay Authentication
Summary
WeeChat (Wee Enhanced Environment for Chat) is a free chat client. In versions 0.3.1 through 4.9.0, the WeeChat relay authentication uses non-constant-time string comparison functions (weechat_strcasecmp and strcmp) to verify password hashes and plaintext passwords. An attacker can exploit timing differences to extract the server-computed hash character by character, then authenticate using the correct hash without knowing the password. Version 4.9.1 fixes the issue.
Severity
7.4 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
CWE
  • CWE-208 - Observable Timing Discrepancy
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
weechat weechat Affected: >= 0.3.4, < 4.9.1
guessed Create a notification for this product.
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{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "weechat",
          "vendor": "weechat",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "\u003e= 0.3.4, \u003c 4.9.1"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "WeeChat (Wee Enhanced Environment for Chat) is a free chat client. In versions 0.3.1 through 4.9.0, the WeeChat relay authentication uses non-constant-time string comparison functions (weechat_strcasecmp and strcmp) to verify password hashes and plaintext passwords. An attacker can exploit timing differences to extract the server-computed hash character by character, then authenticate using the correct hash without knowing the password. Version 4.9.1 fixes the issue."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 7.4,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          }
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-208",
              "description": "CWE-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-21T22:19:21.278Z",
        "orgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
        "shortName": "GitHub_M"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/weechat/weechat/security/advisories/GHSA-vhv8-g2r9-cwcc",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_CONFIRM"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/weechat/weechat/security/advisories/GHSA-vhv8-g2r9-cwcc"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "advisory": "GHSA-vhv8-g2r9-cwcc",
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "WeeChat has Non-Constant-Time Password Hash Comparison in Relay Authentication"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
    "assignerShortName": "GitHub_M",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-53525",
    "datePublished": "2026-08-21T22:19:21.278Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-06-09T17:30:33.456Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-21T22:19:21.278Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2026-53525\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"security-advisories@github.com\",\"published\":\"2026-08-21T23:16:26.363\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-08-21T23:16:26.363\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Received\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"WeeChat (Wee Enhanced Environment for Chat) is a free chat client. In versions 0.3.1 through 4.9.0, the WeeChat relay authentication uses non-constant-time string comparison functions (weechat_strcasecmp and strcmp) to verify password hashes and plaintext passwords. An attacker can exploit timing differences to extract the server-computed hash character by character, then authenticate using the correct hash without knowing the password. Version 4.9.1 fixes the issue.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"security-advisories@github.com\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"weechat\",\"product\":\"weechat\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"\u003e= 0.3.4, \u003c 4.9.1\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"security-advisories@github.com\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":7.4,\"baseSeverity\":\"HIGH\",\"attackVector\":\"NETWORK\",\"attackComplexity\":\"HIGH\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"NONE\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"NONE\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":2.2,\"impactScore\":5.2}]},\"weaknesses\":[{\"source\":\"security-advisories@github.com\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"description\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-208\"}]}],\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://github.com/weechat/weechat/security/advisories/GHSA-vhv8-g2r9-cwcc\",\"source\":\"security-advisories@github.com\"}]}}"
  }
}



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Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

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Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.