diff --git a/pkg/ueps/reader.go b/pkg/ueps/reader.go
index 185a1fc..6ea0972 100644
--- a/pkg/ueps/reader.go
+++ b/pkg/ueps/reader.go
@@ -47,13 +47,12 @@ func ReadAndVerify(reader *bufio.Reader, sharedSecret []byte) (*ParsedPacket, er
 			break
 		}
 
-		tagLengthByte, err := reader.ReadByte()
+		tagValueLength, err := reader.ReadByte()
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		tagLength := int(tagLengthByte)
 
-		tagValue := make([]byte, tagLength)
+		tagValue := make([]byte, tagValueLength)
 		if _, err := io.ReadFull(reader, tagValue); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -62,34 +61,34 @@ func ReadAndVerify(reader *bufio.Reader, sharedSecret []byte) (*ParsedPacket, er
 		case TagVersion:
 			header.Version = tagValue[0]
 			signedData.WriteByte(tagByte)
-			signedData.WriteByte(byte(tagLength))
+			signedData.WriteByte(tagValueLength)
 			signedData.Write(tagValue)
 		case TagCurrentLayer:
 			header.CurrentLayer = tagValue[0]
 			signedData.WriteByte(tagByte)
-			signedData.WriteByte(byte(tagLength))
+			signedData.WriteByte(tagValueLength)
 			signedData.Write(tagValue)
 		case TagTargetLayer:
 			header.TargetLayer = tagValue[0]
 			signedData.WriteByte(tagByte)
-			signedData.WriteByte(byte(tagLength))
+			signedData.WriteByte(tagValueLength)
 			signedData.Write(tagValue)
 		case TagIntent:
 			header.IntentID = tagValue[0]
 			signedData.WriteByte(tagByte)
-			signedData.WriteByte(byte(tagLength))
+			signedData.WriteByte(tagValueLength)
 			signedData.Write(tagValue)
 		case TagThreatScore:
 			header.ThreatScore = binary.BigEndian.Uint16(tagValue)
 			signedData.WriteByte(tagByte)
-			signedData.WriteByte(byte(tagLength))
+			signedData.WriteByte(tagValueLength)
 			signedData.Write(tagValue)
 		case TagHMAC:
 			hmacSignature = tagValue
 		default:
 			// signedData.WriteByte(unknownTag); signedData.Write(tagValue) — unknown tags contribute to HMAC, blocking injection
 			signedData.WriteByte(tagByte)
-			signedData.WriteByte(byte(tagLength))
+			signedData.WriteByte(tagValueLength)
 			signedData.Write(tagValue)
 		}
 	}