go-tuf affected by client DoS via malformed server response
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
- Partial Red Hat: 8 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-617.
Summary
go-tuf is a Go implementation of The Update Framework (TUF). Starting in version 2.0.0 and prior to version 2.3.1, if the TUF repository (or any of its mirrors) returns invalid TUF metadata JSON (valid JSON but not well formed TUF metadata), the client will panic during parsing, causing a denial of service. The panic happens before any signature is validated. This means that a compromised repository/mirror/cache can DoS clients without having access to any signing key. Version 2.3.1 fixes the issue. No known workarounds are available.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| theupdateframework | go-tuf | 2.0.0 to before 2.3.1 | 2.3.1 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | github.com/theupdateframework/go-tuf/v2 (Go) | before 2.3.1 | 2.3.1 | Patch available | GHSA-846p-jg2w-w324 |
- go-tuf Vendortheupdateframework Affected 2.0.0 to before 2.3.1 Fixed in 2.3.1 Patch available CNA
- github.com/theupdateframework/go-tuf/v2 (Go) Vendor— Affected before 2.3.1 Fixed in 2.3.1 Patch available GHSA-846p-jg2w-w324
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:theupdateframework:go-tuf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.0.0 to before 2.3.1 | Vulnerable | theupdateframework |
- cpe:2.3:a:theupdateframework:go-tuf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.0.0 to before 2.3.1 Vulnerable ·theupdateframework
Remediation
- Fix · CNA go-tuf (theupdateframework) Fixed in 2.3.1
- Fix · GHSA-846p-jg2w-w324 github.com/theupdateframework/go-tuf/v2 (Go) Fixed in 2.3.1 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| OpenShift Pipelines | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Trusted Artifact Signer | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Web Terminal | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Security Profiles Operator | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Zero Trust Workload Identity Manager | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Zero Trust Workload Identity Manager - Tech Preview | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-23991
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-846p-jg2w-w324
References
Advisory 2
More theupdateframework Go-tuf vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-19908 go-tuf Path Traversal in TAP 4 Multirepo Client Allows Arbitrary File Write via Malicious Repository Names CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.7
- TI-2022-11717 No protection against rollback attacks in go-tuf CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-19333 go-tuf improperly validates the configured threshold for delegations CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-23991 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-23991 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-846p-jg2w-w324 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-23991 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences