CVE-2026-44288
Description
A flaw was found in protobufjs, a library that compiles protobuf definitions into JavaScript functions. An attacker who can provide specially crafted protobuf binary data containing overlong UTF-8 (Unicode Transformation Format - 8-bit) byte sequences may be able to bypass application-level checks. This occurs because the minimal UTF-8 decoder in protobufjs incorrectly decodes these sequences to their canonical characters instead of rejecting them. This could lead to unexpected data interpretation and potentially allow an attacker to circumvent security controls.
Statement
Moderate: A flaw in protobufjs, as used in Red Hat products, allows an attacker to bypass application-level security checks. By providing specially crafted protobuf binary data with overlong UTF-8 sequences, an attacker could cause incorrect data interpretation, potentially circumventing security controls that inspect raw bytes before string decoding. This could lead to unintended behavior or access within applications relying on protobufjs for data processing.
Mitigation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base, or stability.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.3 | N/A | 5.3 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | None |
| Integrity Impact | Low | N/A | Low |
| Availability Impact | None | N/A | None |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Other
Technical Impact: Other
Frequently Asked Questions
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