CVE-2023-42801

What it is

Moonlight-common-c contains the core GameStream client code shared between Moonlight clients. Moonlight-common-c is vulnerable to buffer overflow starting in commit f57bd745b4cbed577ea654fad4701bea4d38b44c. A malicious game streaming server could exploit a buffer overflow vulnerability to crash a moonlight client. Achieving RCE is possible but unlikely, due to stack canaries in use by modern compiler toolchains. The published binaries for official clients Qt, Android, iOS/tvOS, and Embedded are built with stack canaries, but some unofficial clients may not use stack canaries. This vulnerability takes place after the pairing process, so it requires the client to be tricked into pairing to a malicious host. It is not possible to perform using a man-in-the-middle due to public key pinning that takes place during the pairing process. The bug was addressed in commit b2497a3918a6d79808d9fd0c04734786e70d5954.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited over the network without logging in, but needs a user to act. High risk of service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.9% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2023-12-14 17:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-06-17 06:24 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.9% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 7.6 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2023-12-14 17:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-06-17 06:24 UTC

Exploit probability

0.9% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-120 · Classic buffer overflow

Record status

Modified

Affected

• moonlight-stream moonlight-common-c < 2023-10-06
• moonlight-stream Moonlight < 9.0.0
• moonlight-stream Moonlight < 12.0
• moonlight-stream Moonlight < 0.10.23
• moonlight-stream Moonlight Embedded < 2.6.1
• moonlight-stream Moonlight Xbox ≤ 1.14.5
• moonlight-stream Moonlight Tv < 1.6.0
• moonlight-stream Moonlight Switch < 0.13.4

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.6

Attack vector

Network

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

None

User interaction

Required

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

Low

Integrity

Low

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

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