uTLS ServerHellos are accepted without checking TLS 1.3 downgrade canaries
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-693.
Summary
uTLS is a fork of crypto/tls, created to customize ClientHello for fingerprinting resistance while still using it for the handshake. In versions 1.6.7 and below, uTLS did not implement the TLS 1.3 downgrade protection mechanism specified in RFC 8446 Section 4.1.3 when using a uTLS ClientHello spec. This allowed an active network adversary to downgrade TLS 1.3 connections initiated by a uTLS client to a lower TLS version (e.g., TLS 1.2) by modifying the ClientHello message to exclude the SupportedVersions extension, causing the server to respond with a TLS 1.2 ServerHello (along with a downgrade canary in the ServerHello random field). Because uTLS did not check the downgrade canary in the ServerHello random field, clients would accept the downgraded connection without detecting the attack. This attack could also be used by an active network attacker to fingerprint uTLS connections. This issue has been fixed in version 1.7.0.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| refraction-networking | utls | before 1.7.0 | 1.7.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | github.com/refraction-networking/utls (Go) | before 1.7.0 | 1.7.0 | Patch available | GHSA-pmc3-p9hx-jq96 |
- utls Vendorrefraction-networking Affected before 1.7.0 Fixed in 1.7.0 Patch available CNA
- github.com/refraction-networking/utls (Go) Vendor— Affected before 1.7.0 Fixed in 1.7.0 Patch available GHSA-pmc3-p9hx-jq96
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:refraction-networking:utls:*:*:*:*:*:go:*:* | before 1.7.0 | Vulnerable | refraction-networking |
- cpe:2.3:a:refraction-networking:utls:*:*:*:*:*:go:*:* Versions before 1.7.0 Vulnerable ·refraction-networking
Remediation
- Fix · CNA utls (refraction-networking) Fixed in 1.7.0
- Fix · GHSA-pmc3-p9hx-jq96 github.com/refraction-networking/utls (Go) Fixed in 1.7.0 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-26994
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-pmc3-p9hx-jq96
References
Patch 3
More refraction-networking Utls vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-21491 uTLS has a Chrome Parrot Fingerprint Vulnerability due to GREASE ECH Cipher Suite Mismatch CVSS 4.0LOW 2.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-26994 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-26994 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-pmc3-p9hx-jq96 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-26994 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences