opentelemetry-js: Unbounded memory allocation in W3C Baggage propagation
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-770.
Summary
opentelemetry-js is the OpenTelemetry JavaScript Client. Prior to 2.8.0, W3CBaggagePropagator.extract() in @opentelemetry/core does not enforce size limits when parsing inbound baggage HTTP headers. The W3C Baggage specification recommends a maximum of 8,192 bytes and 180 entries; these limits were only enforced on the outbound (inject()) path, not on the inbound (extract()) path. Parsing oversized baggage causes memory allocation proportional to the header size without any cap. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.8.0.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| open-telemetry | opentelemetry-js | before 2.8.0 | 2.8.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | @opentelemetry/core (npm) | before 2.8.0 | 2.8.0 | Patch available | GHSA-8988-4f7v-96qf |
- opentelemetry-js Vendoropen-telemetry Affected before 2.8.0 Fixed in 2.8.0 Patch available CNA
- @opentelemetry/core (npm) Vendor— Affected before 2.8.0 Fixed in 2.8.0 Patch available GHSA-8988-4f7v-96qf
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:opentelemetry:opentelemetry:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:* | before 2.8.0 | Vulnerable | open-telemetry |
- cpe:2.3:a:opentelemetry:opentelemetry:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:* Versions before 2.8.0 Vulnerable ·open-telemetry
Remediation
- Fix · CNA opentelemetry-js (open-telemetry) Fixed in 2.8.0
- Fix · GHSA-8988-4f7v-96qf @opentelemetry/core (npm) Fixed in 2.8.0 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 9 products
- Cryostat 4
- OpenShift Serverless
- OpenShift Service Mesh 3
- Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2
- Red Hat Ceph Storage 9
- Red Hat Developer Hub 1
- Red Hat Hardened Images
- Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces
- Self-service automation portal 2
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-54285
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-8988-4f7v-96qf
- 2026-10-27 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More open-telemetry Opentelemetry vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-23298 OpenTelemetry-Go multi-value `baggage` header extraction causes excessive allocations (remote dos amplification) CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-25448 DoS vulnerability in otelgrpc (uncontrolled resource consumption) due to unbound cardinality metrics CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-29801 OpenTelemetry-Go's baggage parsing no longer caps raw header length CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2026-32829 opentelemetry-cpp: OTLP HTTP exporters read unbounded HTTP response CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2023-23498 opentelemetry-instrumentation Denial of Service vulnerability due to unbound cardinality metrics CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-24163 OpenTelemetry-Go Contrib has DoS vulnerability in otelhttp due to unbound cardinality metrics CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-54285 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-54285 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-8988-4f7v-96qf · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-54285 · 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