Description
Impact:
The undici WebSocket client enforces maxPayloadSize per-frame but does not enforce the cumulative size of fragmented uncompressed messages. A malicious WebSocket server can stream many small fragments that each pass per-frame validation but collectively exceed the configured limit, causing unbounded memory growth in the client process. The result is memory exhaustion and a denial of service.
Affected applications are those using the undici WebSocket client (new WebSocket(...)) that can be induced to connect to an attacker-controlled or compromised WebSocket endpoint.
This is a regression specific to undici 8.1.0. The 6.25.0 line shipped the equivalent cumulative check from the start and is unaffected. The 7.x line never had the maxPayloadSize feature and is also unaffected.
Patches:
Upgrade to undici >= 8.5.0.
Workarounds:
No workaround is available. The fix must be applied through an upgrade.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| undici | undici | 8.0.0 – < 8.5.0 | 8.5.0 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.10 | node-undici | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | node-undici | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | node-undici | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | node-undici | No fix yet | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | nodejs24 +6 | 24.16.0-1.hum1 | RHSA-2026:25561 |
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | nodejs24-npm | 11.13.0-1.24.16.0.1.hum1 | RHSA-2026:25561 |
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | nodejs25 +6 | 25.9.0-1.1.hum1 | RHSA-2026:7378 |
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | nodejs25-npm | 11.12.1-1.25.9.0.1.1.hum1 | RHSA-2026:7378 |
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | nodejs26 +6 | 26.3.0-1.2.hum1 | RHSA-2026:22380 |
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | nodejs26-npm | 11.16.0-1.26.3.0.1.2.hum1 | RHSA-2026:22380 |
| Red Hat Hardened Images 1 | rust +18 | 1.96.0-1.hum1 | RHSA-2026:22934 |
Affected packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| npm | undici | >= 8.0.0, < 8.5.0 | 8.5.0 | GHSA-38rv-x7px-6hhq |
Advisories 5
- RHSA-2026:7378 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 20, 2026
- RHSA-2026:22934 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 20, 2026
- RHSA-2026:22380 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 20, 2026
- RHSA-2026:25561 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 9, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-2618 IBM App Connect Enterprise: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Oct 4, 2026