CVE-2026-44289
Description
A flaw was found in protobufjs, a library that compiles protobuf definitions into JavaScript functions. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted protobuf binary payload. This payload could cause uncontrolled recursion during the decoding of nested protobuf data, leading to the exhaustion of the JavaScript call stack. This ultimately results in a Denial of Service (DoS) for applications using the affected library.
Statement
An uncontrolled recursion vulnerability was discovered in protobufjs which can allow a remote attacker to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via stack exhaustion. Red Hat products bundling vulnerable instances of this npm package (specifically versions prior to 7.5.6 and 8.0.2) are affected.
Mitigation
Avoid decoding untrusted protobuf binary data with affected versions. If immediate upgrade is not possible, reject excessively nested messages at an outer protocol boundary where feasible, or isolate protobuf decoding in a process that can be safely restarted.
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).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.5 | N/A | 7.5 |
| 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 | None | N/A | None |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)
Frequently Asked Questions
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