CVE-2026-54873Network attack vectorHinoki check available

Service interruption via QUIC packet buffer retention

Published Sep 29, 2026 · Updated Sep 29, 2026

Resource exhaustion in OpenSSL's QUIC stack allows remote attackers to retain packet buffers through crafted STREAM frames. Its stream reassembly path keeps the entire packet buffer referenced until the receiving application copies the stream data, allowing a small frame to pin disproportionately large memory. Exposure requires an application using an affected QUIC build to receive peer stream data; sustained memory pressure can interrupt that application, while the FIPS module is unaffected.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.46%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

Resource exhaustion in OpenSSL's QUIC stack allows remote attackers to retain packet buffers through crafted STREAM frames. Its stream reassembly path keeps the entire packet buffer referenced until the receiving application copies the stream data, allowing a small frame to pin disproportionately large memory. Exposure requires an application using an affected QUIC build to receive peer stream data; sustained memory pressure can interrupt that application, while the FIPS module is unaffected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-54873
Published
Sep 29, 2026
Updated
Sep 29, 2026
Vendor
OpenSSL Project
Product
OpenSSL
Classifications
CWE-770, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 29, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 29, 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=3.4.0 <3.4.8
  2. Affected versionversion=3.5.0 <3.5.9
  3. Affected versionversion=3.6.0 <3.6.5
  4. Affected versionversion=4.0.0 <4.0.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenSSL Project · OpenSSLversion=3.4.0 <3.4.8; version=3.5.0 <3.5.9; version=3.6.0 <3.6.5; version=4.0.0 <4.0.3

Published CVSS scores

5.3SUSECVSS: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.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

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

No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 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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