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TI-2026-27572 Aliases CVE-2026-35441GHSA-ph52-67fq-75wj

Directus Affected by GraphQL Alias Amplification Denial-of-Service Due to Missing Query Cost/Complexity Limits

Priority LOW 29CWE-400Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
Low
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-400.

Summary

Directus is a real-time API and App dashboard for managing SQL database content. Prior to 11.17.0, Directus' GraphQL endpoints (/graphql and /graphql/system) did not deduplicate resolver invocations within a single request. An authenticated user could exploit GraphQL aliasing to repeat an expensive relational query many times in a single request, forcing the server to execute a large number of independent complex database queries concurrently, multiplying database load linearly with the number of aliases. The existing token limit on GraphQL queries still permitted enough aliases for significant resource exhaustion, while the relational depth limit applied per alias without reducing the total number executed. Rate limiting is disabled by default, meaning no built-in throttle prevented this from causing CPU, memory, and I/O exhaustion that could degrade or crash the service. Any authenticated user, including those with minimal read-only permissions, could trigger this condition. This vulnerability is fixed in 11.17.0.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00368 30th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed directus (directus): 11.17.0directus (npm): 11.17.0

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

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
directusdirectusbefore 11.17.011.17.0Patch availableCNA
—directus (npm)before 11.17.011.17.0Patch availableGHSA-ph52-67fq-75wj
  • directus Vendordirectus Affected before 11.17.0 Fixed in 11.17.0 Patch available CNA
  • directus (npm) Vendor— Affected before 11.17.0 Fixed in 11.17.0 Patch available GHSA-ph52-67fq-75wj

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:monospace:directus:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*before 11.17.0Vulnerabledirectus
  • cpe:2.3:a:monospace:directus:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:* Versions before 11.17.0 Vulnerable ·directus

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA directus (directus) Fixed in 11.17.0
  • Fix · GHSA-ph52-67fq-75wj directus (npm) Fixed in 11.17.0 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-35441
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-ph52-67fq-75wj

References

  • TI-2025-21659 Directus's webhook trigger flows can leak sensitive data CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
  • TI-2024-36266 Directus allows unauthenticated access to WebSocket events and operations CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2024-26791 Directus allows SSO User Enumeration CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2024-23956 Directus is soft-locked by providing a string value to random string util CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2024-26624 Directus Incorrectly handles _in` filter CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.7
  • TI-2025-21658 Directus `search` query parameter allows enumeration of non permitted fields CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
See all 55 →

Sources