Unencodable content drops a whole batch in Apache log4net appender
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
Apache log4net from 1.2.9 before 3.5.0 has an improper handling of Unicode encoding flaw (CWE-176) in SmtpPickupDirAppender. Content that the mail file writer cannot encode, such as an unpaired UTF-16 surrogate, makes the write throw and discards every buffered event in the batch. An unauthenticated remote attacker whose data reaches a log message can suppress the records of other events, and a truncated mail may be left in the pickup directory. Only applications that use SmtpPickupDirAppender are affected.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
Improper Handling of Unicode Encoding vulnerability in the SmtpPickupDirAppender of Apache log4net. Content that the mail file writer cannot encode, such as an unpaired UTF-16 surrogate, made the write throw. Every buffered event in the batch was discarded, not only the one carrying the content, and a truncated mail could be left in the pickup directory. A party whose data reaches a log message could suppress the records of other events. Only applications that use SmtpPickupDirAppender are affected. This issue affects Apache log4net: from 1.2.9 before 3.5.0. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.5.0, which fixes the issue.
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
Remediation
Upgrade Apache log4net to version 3.5.0, which fixes the issue.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Apache log4net (Apache Software Foundation) Fixed in 3.5.0
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Apache log4net 3.5.0
6 records Highest priority Priority LOW 6 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-68924 RemoteSyslogAppender in Apache log4net silently drops non-ASCII textPriority LOW 32
- TI-2026-68923 Apache log4net EventLogAppender silently discards oversize recordsPriority LOW 32
- TI-2026-68922 Log4net drops log events when ASP.NET request validation failsPriority LOW 32
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-105241
- 2026-10-07 Alias added: GHSA-r5vq-477m-wcfc
- 2026-10-07 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-07 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-11 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
More Apache Log4net vulnerabilities
- TI-2018-01190 XML external entity injection in Apache log4net CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-68924 RemoteSyslogAppender in Apache log4net silently drops non-ASCII text CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2026-68923 Apache log4net EventLogAppender silently discards oversize records CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2026-68922 Log4net drops log events when ASP.NET request validation fails CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2026-68920 NUL character truncates log records in Apache log4net debug output CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2026-68919 NUL character truncates EventLogAppender records in Apache log4net CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-105241 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-105241 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-r5vq-477m-wcfc · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-105241 · 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