Starlite DoS vulnerability when parsing multipart request body
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-770.
Summary
Starlite is an Asynchronous Server Gateway Interface (ASGI) framework. Prior to version 1.5.2, the request body parsing in `starlite` allows a potentially unauthenticated attacker to consume a large amount of CPU time and RAM. The multipart body parser processes an unlimited number of file parts and an unlimited number of field parts. This is a remote, potentially unauthenticated Denial of Service vulnerability. This vulnerability affects applications with a request handler that accepts a `Body(media_type=RequestEncodingType.MULTI_PART)`. The large amount of CPU time required for processing requests can block all available worker processes and significantly delay or slow down the processing of legitimate user requests. The large amount of RAM accumulated while processing requests can lead to Out-Of-Memory kills. Complete DoS is achievable by sending many concurrent multipart requests in a loop. Version 1.51.2 contains a patch for this issue.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| starlite-api | starlite | before 1.51.2 | 1.51.2 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | starlite (PyPI) | before 1.51.2 | 1.51.2 | Patch available | GHSA-p24m-863f-fm6q |
- starlite Vendorstarlite-api Affected before 1.51.2 Fixed in 1.51.2 Patch available CNA
- starlite (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 1.51.2 Fixed in 1.51.2 Patch available GHSA-p24m-863f-fm6q
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:starliteproject:starlite:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 1.51.2 | Vulnerable | Starliteproject |
- cpe:2.3:a:starliteproject:starlite:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 1.51.2 Vulnerable ·Starliteproject
Remediation
- Fix · CNA starlite (starlite-api) Fixed in 1.51.2
- Fix · GHSA-p24m-863f-fm6q starlite (PyPI) Fixed in 1.51.2 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-25578
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-p24m-863f-fm6q
References
Sources
- CVE-2023-25578 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-25578 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-p24m-863f-fm6q · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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