Worker restart via SSI use-after-free
Published Jul 15, 2026 · Updated Jul 15, 2026
Use-after-free in F5 NGINX Open Source and NGINX Plus allows remote attackers to restart a worker via upstream responses. The ngx_http_ssi_module response path accesses freed worker memory while processing unbuffered proxied data with SSI enabled. Exploitation requires control of upstream responses from a man-in-the-middle position; impact is limited to memory modification or worker restart, with no control-plane exposure.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in F5 NGINX Open Source and NGINX Plus allows remote attackers to restart a worker via upstream responses. The ngx_http_ssi_module response path accesses freed worker memory while processing unbuffered proxied data with SSI enabled. Exploitation requires control of upstream responses from a man-in-the-middle position; impact is limited to memory modification or worker restart, with no control-plane exposure.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-56434
- Published
- Jul 15, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 15, 2026
- Vendor
- F5 Networks
- Product
- NGINX Open Source
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 15, 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=0.8.11 <1.30.4
- Affected versionversion=1.31.2 <1.31.3
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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