diff --git a/operators/validate_byte_range.go b/operators/validate_byte_range.go
index a8bbc9742..9ab306010 100644
--- a/operators/validate_byte_range.go
+++ b/operators/validate_byte_range.go
@@ -13,13 +13,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/corazawaf/coraza/v3/rules"
 )
 
-type byteRange struct {
-	start byte
-	end   byte
-}
-
 type validateByteRange struct {
-	data []byteRange
+	validBytes [256]bool // array, not slice, so don't pass as-is to functions
 }
 
 var _ rules.Operator = (*validateByteRange)(nil)
@@ -28,75 +23,65 @@ func newValidateByteRange(options rules.OperatorOptions) (rules.Operator, error)
 	data := options.Arguments
 
 	if data == "" {
-		return &validateByteRange{}, nil
+		return &unconditionalMatch{}, nil
 	}
 
-	var ranges []byteRange
-	var err error
+	var validBytes [256]bool
 	for _, br := range strings.Split(data, ",") {
 		br = strings.TrimSpace(br)
-		spl := strings.SplitN(br, "-", 2)
+		start, end, ok := strings.Cut(br, "-")
 
-		var start, end uint64
-		if len(spl) == 1 {
-			start, err = strconv.ParseUint(spl[0], 10, 8)
-			if err != nil {
+		if !ok {
+			if b, err := strconv.Atoi(start); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
-			}
-			if ranges, err = addRange(ranges, start, start); err != nil {
+			} else if err := validateByte(b); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
+			} else {
+				validBytes[b] = true
 			}
 			continue
 		}
-		start, err = strconv.ParseUint(spl[0], 10, 8)
+		s, err := strconv.Atoi(start)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		end, err = strconv.ParseUint(spl[1], 10, 8)
+		if err := validateByte(s); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		e, err := strconv.Atoi(end)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		if ranges, err = addRange(ranges, start, end); err != nil {
+		if err := validateByte(e); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		for i := s; i <= e; i++ {
+			validBytes[i] = true
+		}
 	}
-	return &validateByteRange{data: ranges}, nil
+	return &validateByteRange{validBytes: validBytes}, nil
 }
 
-func (o *validateByteRange) Evaluate(tx rules.TransactionState, data string) bool {
-	lenData := len(o.data)
-	if lenData == 0 {
-		return true
+func validateByte(b int) error {
+	if b < 0 || b > 255 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid byte %d", b)
 	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (o *validateByteRange) Evaluate(tx rules.TransactionState, data string) bool {
 	if data == "" {
 		return false
 	}
 	// we must iterate each byte from input and check if it is in the range
 	// if every byte is within the range we return false
-	matched := 0
 	for i := 0; i < len(data); i++ {
 		c := data[i]
-		for _, r := range o.data {
-			if c >= r.start && c <= r.end {
-				matched++
-				break
-			}
+		if !o.validBytes[c] {
+			return true
 		}
 	}
-	return len(data) != matched
-}
-
-func addRange(ranges []byteRange, start uint64, end uint64) ([]byteRange, error) {
-	if start > 255 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid start byte %d", start)
-	}
-	if end > 255 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid end byte %d", end)
-	}
-	return append(ranges, byteRange{
-		start: byte(start),
-		end:   byte(end),
-	}), nil
+	return false
 }
 
 func init() {