Unbounded negative cache growth in SSSD allows denial of service
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Deferred Red Hat: fix deferred
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-770.
Summary
SSSD in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 is affected. The negative cache does not limit its total number of entries and removes expired records only when an existing key is rechecked, so it can grow without bound (CWE-770). An unprivileged local user can repeatedly request lookups for nonexistent entries through the NSS responder, exhausting memory and making the responder unresponsive or terminated.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
A flaw was found in SSSD. An unprivileged local user can repeatedly request lookups for nonexistent entries through the Name Service Switch (NSS) responder. Because the negative cache does not limit the total number of stored entries and only removes expired records when an existing key is rechecked, the cache can grow without bound. This behavior can lead to memory exhaustion, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS) as the responder becomes unresponsive or terminates.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE names CNA · 7
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:10 | 10 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:6 | 6 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:7 | 7 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8 | 8 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9 | 9 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4 | 4 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:5 | 5 | — | Red Hat |
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:10 Versions 10 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:6 Versions 6 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:7 Versions 7 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8 Versions 8 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9 Versions 9 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4 Versions 4 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:5 Versions 5 — ·Red Hat
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, or for Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 or 5. Red Hat lists no fix planned for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and no fix available for the other affected products.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-104041
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-fw33-qf86-7m7r
- 2026-10-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-06 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-31 Affected versions changed · CNA
- 2026-10-31 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-104041 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-104041 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-fw33-qf86-7m7r · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-104041 · 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