CVE-2026-44500Network attack vector

Node service interruption via oversized deserializer allocations

Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

Resource exhaustion in Zcash Foundation Zebra before zebrad 4.4.0 allows remote attackers to interrupt node service with crafted peer messages. The read_headers, Equihash solution, Sapling spend, and coinbase script deserializers allocate against broad transport or block ceilings before enforcing tighter field limits. Headers are reachable before the version handshake; the other paths require a completed handshake, and concurrent messages amplify memory and parsing costs.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.36%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource exhaustion in Zcash Foundation Zebra before zebrad 4.4.0 allows remote attackers to interrupt node service with crafted peer messages. The read_headers, Equihash solution, Sapling spend, and coinbase script deserializers allocate against broad transport or block ceilings before enforcing tighter field limits. Headers are reachable before the version handshake; the other paths require a completed handshake, and concurrent messages amplify memory and parsing costs.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-44500
Published
May 8, 2026
Updated
May 8, 2026
Vendor
Zcash Foundation
Product
Zebra
Classifications
CWE-770, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=zebra-chain < 7.0.0
  2. Affected versionversion=zebrad < 4.4.0
  3. Affected versionversion=zebra-network < 6.0.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Zcash Foundation · Zebraversion=zebra-chain < 7.0.0; version=zebrad < 4.4.0; version=zebra-network < 6.0.0

Published CVSS scores

5.3GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-770Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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