Elasticsearch template retrieval exhausts heap and crashes nodes
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
- 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
Elasticsearch versions 8.0.0 through 8.19.22, 9.0.0 through 9.4.6 and 9.5.0 through 9.5.2 are affected. Elasticsearch limits the metadata size of each template resource but not the total memory used when several are retrieved together (CWE-770). A user with the manage_index_templates cluster privilege can register several resources within the per-resource limit, so retrieving them exhausts heap and crashes the node with an out of memory error, causing denial of service.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
Description from the CNA
Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling (CWE-770) in Elasticsearch can lead to Denial of Service via Excessive Allocation (CAPEC-130). Elasticsearch enforces a size limit on the user-supplied metadata field for each individual template resource, but does not limit the total memory used when multiple such resources are retrieved together. A user holding the *manage_index_templates* cluster privilege can register multiple resources each within the individual limit. Retrieving them together materializes all of their metadata values in memory at once, exhausting available heap and causing the affected node to fail with an out-of-memory error, resulting in a denial of service.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elastic | Elasticsearch | 8.0.0 – 8.19.22; 9.0.0 – 9.4.6; 9.5.0 – 9.5.2 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Elasticsearch VendorElastic Affected 8.0.0 – 8.19.22; 9.0.0 – 9.4.6; 9.5.0 – 9.5.2 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:elastic:elasticsearch:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 8.0.0 to before 8.19.23; 9.0.0 to before 9.4.7; 9.5.0 to before 9.5.3 | Vulnerable | Elastic |
- cpe:2.3:a:elastic:elasticsearch:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.0.0 to before 8.19.23; 9.0.0 to before 9.4.7; 9.5.0 to before 9.5.3 Vulnerable ·Elastic
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for Elasticsearch. Red Hat lists Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI) as affected without a fix, with no plan available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI) | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Quay 3
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-102411
- 2026-10-07 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-07 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-10-07 Alias added: GHSA-qvfh-5p79-6753
- 2026-10-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-07 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-21 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More Elasticsearch vulnerabilities
- TI-2015-01295 The Groovy scripting engine in Elasticsearch before 1.3.8 and 1.4.x before 1.4.3 allows… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2014-02491 The default configuration in Elasticsearch before 1.2 enables dynamic scripting, which… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2023-15037 Elasticsearch StackOverflow vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2021-05135 Information disclosure in Elasticsearch CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2021-05136 All versions of Elastic Cloud Enterprise has the Elasticsearch “anonymous” user enabled… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2015-04530 Elasticsearch before 1.6.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via… CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-102411 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-102411 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-qvfh-5p79-6753 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-102411 · 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