Description
Elixir protobuf is a pure Elixir implementation of Google Protobuf. From 0.8.0 until 0.16.1, services that decode attacker-controlled protobuf bytes with Protobuf.Decoder can be taken offline when the schema contains a self-referential or cyclic message type. In lib/protobuf/decoder.ex, Protobuf.Decoder.value_for_field/3 handles an embedded?: true field by recursively entering the decode / build_message / handle_value / value_for_field call chain without enforcing a nesting-depth limit. Deeply nested embedded fields retain non-tail recursive frames, allowing a comparatively small request to consume substantial CPU and memory, pin a BEAM scheduler, and exhaust the node. This issue is fixed in version 0.16.1.
No analysis available yet.
Remediation
No remediation available yet.
Tracking
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Advisories
| Source | ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
Github GHSA |
GHSA-rv48-qqj5-crxg | Protobuf: Unbounded recursion depth in embedded-message decoding |
References
History
Thu, 17 Sep 2026 18:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Elixir protobuf is a pure Elixir implementation of Google Protobuf. From 0.8.0 until 0.16.1, services that decode attacker-controlled protobuf bytes with Protobuf.Decoder can be taken offline when the schema contains a self-referential or cyclic message type. In lib/protobuf/decoder.ex, Protobuf.Decoder.value_for_field/3 handles an embedded?: true field by recursively entering the decode / build_message / handle_value / value_for_field call chain without enforcing a nesting-depth limit. Deeply nested embedded fields retain non-tail recursive frames, allowing a comparatively small request to consume substantial CPU and memory, pin a BEAM scheduler, and exhaust the node. This issue is fixed in version 0.16.1. | |
| Title | Elixir protobuf: Unbounded recursion depth in embedded-message decoding | |
| Weaknesses | CWE-674 | |
| References |
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| Metrics |
cvssV4_0
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Subscriptions
No data.
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: GitHub_M
Published:
Updated: 2026-09-17T18:19:25.334Z
Reserved: 2026-06-15T15:30:40.318Z
Link: CVE-2026-54451
No data.
Status : Received
Published: 2026-09-17T19:16:50.360
Modified: 2026-09-17T19:16:50.360
Link: CVE-2026-54451
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
-
CWE-674
Uncontrolled Recursion
Github GHSA