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Eclipse Vert.x uniqueItems check allows CPU-exhausting denial of service

Priority MEDIUM 44CWE-407Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
None
Impact type
Denial of service
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · High
Fix status
No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-407.

Summary

Eclipse Vert.x 4.0.0 through 4.5.34, 5.0.0 through 5.0.12, 5.1.0 through 5.1.9, and 5.2.0 are affected, as are modules that depend on vertx-json-schema, including vertx-web-openapi-router, vertx-web-validation and vertx-openapi. The uniqueItems check compares array items pairwise with no short-circuit or size limit, which is CWE-407 (Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity). A remote unauthenticated attacker can send a moderately sized JSON array that consumes disproportionate CPU time, causing denial of service.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28

Description from the CNA

In Eclipse Vert.x versions [4.0.0, 4.5.34] or [5.0.0,5.0.12] or [5.1.0,5.1.9] or [5.2.0, 5.2.0], the uniqueItems keyword validation uses an O(n²) pairwise comparison loop with no short-circuit or size limit. A remote unauthenticated attacker can submit a moderately-sized JSON array that consumes disproportionate CPU time, leading to denial of service. The impacted component is io.vertx:vertx-json-schema. The following Vert.x modules depend on vertx-json-schema and are also affected: io.vertx:vertx-web-openapi-router io.vertx:vertx-web-validation io.vertx:vertx-openapi

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00391 33rd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet

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

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
Eclipse FoundationEclipse Vert.x4.0.0 – 4.5.34; 5.0.0 – 5.0.12; 5.1.0 – 5.1.9; 5.2.0—No fix listedCNA
  • Eclipse Vert.x VendorEclipse Foundation Affected 4.0.0 – 4.5.34; 5.0.0 – 5.0.12; 5.1.0 – 5.1.9; 5.2.0 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 2

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:eclipse:vert.x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*4.5.0 to before 4.5.35; 5.0.0 to before 5.1.10VulnerableEclipse Foundation
cpe:2.3:a:eclipse:vert.x:5.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*5.2.0VulnerableEclipse Foundation
  • cpe:2.3:a:eclipse:vert.x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.5.0 to before 4.5.35; 5.0.0 to before 5.1.10 Vulnerable ·Eclipse Foundation
  • cpe:2.3:a:eclipse:vert.x:5.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.2.0 Vulnerable ·Eclipse Foundation

Remediation

The sources list no fixed version for Eclipse Vert.x. Red Hat rates this Important and lists Red Hat build of Apicurio Registry 3 and streams for Apache Kafka 3 as affected without a fix, with no fix plan available.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat build of Apicurio Registry 3AffectedNo fix yet
streams for Apache Kafka 3AffectedNo fix yet

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-16 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-102461
  2. 2026-10-16 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
  3. 2026-10-16 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  4. 2026-10-16 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  5. 2026-10-16 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
  6. 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  7. 2026-10-16 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM
  8. 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-5ww7-gp4j-grqp
  9. 2026-10-21 CVSS score added · NVD
  10. 2026-10-24 Affected versions changed · Red Hat

References

  • TI-2026-06017 Improper certificate validation in Eclipse Vert.x CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.9
  • TI-2025-10971 In Eclipse Vert.x versions [4.0.0, 4.5.21] and [5.0.0, 5.0.4], a StaticHandler… CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3
  • TI-2019-13165 Path traversal in Eclipse Vert.x CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2018-09003 XML external entity injection in Eclipse Vert.x CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2018-09001 Path traversal in Eclipse Vert.x CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2025-10972 Cross-site scripting in Eclipse Foundation Vert.x CVSS 4.0LOW 2.3
See all 26 →

Sources