Process termination via retained unknown wire fields
Published Jun 22, 2026 · Updated Jun 22, 2026
Resource exhaustion in protobuf.js 8.2.0 through 8.4.2 allows remote attackers to terminate decoding processes via crafted protobuf data. The binary decoder stores every unrecognized wire element in message.$unknowns without a decode-time discard option, amplifying retained memory. Exploitation requires attacker-influenced binary input with schema-unknown field numbers and messages that remain live long enough to create memory pressure; trusted-input or tightly bounded deployments are less exposed.
Summary
What happened
Resource exhaustion in protobuf.js 8.2.0 through 8.4.2 allows remote attackers to terminate decoding processes via crafted protobuf data. The binary decoder stores every unrecognized wire element in message.$unknowns without a decode-time discard option, amplifying retained memory. Exploitation requires attacker-influenced binary input with schema-unknown field numbers and messages that remain live long enough to create memory pressure; trusted-input or tightly bounded deployments are less exposed.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-54270
- Published
- Jun 22, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 22, 2026
- Vendor
- protobufjs
- Product
- protobuf.js
- Classifications
- CWE-770, T1499
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 22, 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.
- Affected versionversion=>=8.2.0, < 8.5.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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