Vulnerability in Refraction-Networking Utls
CVE-2026-27017
uTLS is a fork of crypto/tls, created to customize ClientHello for fingerprinting resistance while still using it for the handshake. Versions 1.6.0 through 1.8.0 contain a fingerprint mismatch with Chrome when using GREASE ECH, related to cipher suite selection. When Chrome selects the preferred cipher suite in the outer ClientHello and for ECH, it does so consistently based on hardware support—for example, if it prefers AES for the outer cipher suite, it also uses AES for ECH. However, the Chrome parrot in uTLS hardcodes AES preference for outer cipher suites but selects the ECH cipher suite randomly between AES and ChaCha20. This creates a 50% chance of selecting ChaCha20 for ECH while using AES for the outer cipher suite, a combination impossible in Chrome. This issue only affects GREASE ECH; in real ECH, Chrome selects the first valid cipher suite when AES is preferred, which uTLS handles correctly. This issue has been fixed in version 1.8.1.
EPSS: 0.002 (4.9th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 5.3 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N.
Affected products
- Refraction-networking Utls — versions >= 1.6.0, < 1.8.1
Weakness classification (CWE)
References
- security-advisories@github.com (x_refsource_CONFIRM, Patch, Vendor Advisory)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-27017?
- CVE-2026-27017 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Refraction-Networking Utls, classified under CWE-1240. CVSS score: 5.3/10. Published 2026-02-20.
- How severe is CVE-2026-27017?
- Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 5.3 out of 10.