CVE-2026-123868

MEDIUM
Published Nov 11, 2026 Modified Nov 12, 2026 CWE-400

Description

An unauthenticated HTTP/2 client can exhaust Node.js server memory because inbound DATA queued on an undrained stream is charged to no session budget. Each inbound DATA frame creates one JavaScript Buffer view in the receiving stream's readable queue, but nothing charges that queue to current_session_memory_: the socket read buffer is accounted only during parsing and released immediately, so whatever stays queued is accounted to nothing. A peer that fills a stream's receive window with one-byte DATA frames pays about 10 wire bytes per frame while the server retains about 114 bytes per frame, so a single stream on one connection can retain hundreds of megabytes from tens of megabytes sent. maxSessionMemory neither bounds the growth nor refuses new streams, because Http2Session::CanAddStream gates admission on the same counter that never sees the queue. This vulnerability affects Node.js 26.x and 24.x.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

5.9
MEDIUM
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0041
Probability of exploitation
0.36%
Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-400 Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-123868? +
An unauthenticated HTTP/2 client can exhaust Node.js server memory because inbound DATA queued on an undrained stream is charged to no session budget. Each inbound DATA frame creates one JavaScript Buffer view in the receiving stream's readable queue, but nothing charges that queue to current_session_memory_: the socket read buffer is accounted only during parsing and released immediately, so whatever stays queued is accounted to nothing. A peer that fills a stream's receive window with one-byte DATA frames pays about 10 wire bytes per frame while the server retains about 114 bytes per frame, so a single stream on one connection can retain hundreds of megabytes from tens of megabytes sent. maxSessionMemory neither bounds the growth nor refuses new streams, because Http2Session::CanAddStream gates admission on the same counter that never sees the queue. This vulnerability affects Node.js 26.x and 24.x. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.9 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2026-123868? +
CVE-2026-123868 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.9 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance. The EPSS score is 0.0041, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.
How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-123868? +
You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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