CVE-2026-44892
highpriority · track · 0OT risk · elevatedEPSS 0.003 · 20 %ileDEEUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
Netty is a network application framework for development of protocol servers and clients. Prior to version 4.2.15.Final, the default configuration of the `Http3ConnectionHandler` in the Netty HTTP/3 codec lacks an enforced maximum header size limit. When a peer does not explicitly specify `HTTP3_SETTINGS_MAX_FIELD_SECTION_SIZE`, the implementation defaults to an unbounded limit. This insecure default configuration allows a malicious client or server to send an enormous number of headers, leading to a memory exhaustion Denial of Service via an `OutOfMemoryError`. Version 4.2.15.Final contains a patch.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · medium–high · 6.9–7.5
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (23)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
- IBM App Connect Enterprise Professionalall versionscert_bundDEcpe:/a:ibm:app_connect_enterprise:professional
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Data Grid 8all versionscert_bundDEcpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:data_grid_8
advisories (2)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- WID-SEC-W-2026-1814Netty: Mehrere SchwachstellenDeutsch2026-06-07csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein entfernter, anonymer Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in Netty ausnutzen, um Sicherheitsvorkehrungen zu umgehen, Daten zu manipulieren, vertrauliche Informationen offenzulegen oder einen Denial-of-Service-Zustand herbeizuführen.
- GHSA-c2rx-5r8w-8xr2Netty has a Vulnerable Default Configuration Which Leads to Denial of Service via Unbounded HTTP/3 Header Size2026-06-08ghsa · osvUS
### Summary The default configuration of the `Http3ConnectionHandler` in the Netty HTTP/3 codec lacks an enforced maximum header size limit. When a peer does not explicitly specify `HTTP3_SETTINGS_MAX_FIELD_SECTION_SIZE`, the implementation defaults to an unbounded limit. This insecure default configuration allows a malicious client or server to send an enormous number of headers, leading to a memory exhaustion Denial of Service via an `OutOfMemoryError`. ### Details Netty securely limits header sizes for older protocols. In HTTP/1.1, Netty strictly enforces an `8192`-byte limit out-of-the-box via `HttpObjectDecoder`. For HTTP/2, while RFC 9113 specifies that `SETTINGS_MAX_HEADER_LIST_SIZE` defaults to `unlimited`, Netty securely overrides this RFC default by enforcing an `8192`-byte limit (`Http2CodecUtil.DEFAULT_HEADER_LIST_SIZE`). However, this secure-by-default configuration is missing in the HTTP/3 implementation. While Netty provides a mechanism to configure the maximum header field section size via `Http3Settings`, its out-of-the-box behaviour strictly follows RFC 9114's unlimited default. Because many developers rely on the framework's default configurations and basic constructors, their applications are unknowingly left vulnerable. This nearly infinite default limit is passed into `Http3FrameCodec#newFactory` and stored as `maxHeaderListSize` inside `Http3FrameCodec`. A bad actor can continuously send HTTP/3 headers within a connection, exploiting the insecure default configuration to consume server memory unconditionally until the application crashes with an `OutOfMemoryError`. ### Impact Denial of Service via memory exhaustion. All applications using Netty's HTTP/3 codec with its default configuration are impacted.
also known as (3)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (7)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/netty/netty/releasesPatchcnnvd
- https://github.com/netty/netty/releases/tag/netty-4.2.15.Finalcnnvd
- https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-c2rx-5r8w-8xr2cnnvd
- https://github.com/netty/netty/releases/tag/netty-4.2.15.Finalenisa_euvd
- https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-c2rx-5r8w-8xr2enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/netty/netty/releases/tag/netty-4.2.15.FinalRelease Notesnvd
- https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-c2rx-5r8w-8xr2Vendor Advisorynvd
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