WebSocket proxy in Echo retains connections after client disconnect
Key facts
- Attack vector
- —
- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- —
- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from GitHub. Impact type from CWE-772.
Summary
The Echo Go packages github.com/labstack/echo/v4 (from 4.15.0 before 4.16.1) and github.com/labstack/echo/v5 (from 5.0.0 before 5.4.1) are affected. The raw WebSocket proxy in the Proxy middleware waits for both copy directions to finish without reliably closing the other connection, so handlers, goroutines and network connections can be retained after a client disconnects if the upstream keeps its connection open (CWE-772). Repeated connections can accumulate resources and cause denial of service.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Description from the GitHub advisory
## Impact Echo's Proxy middleware could retain a handler, copy goroutines and network connections after a WebSocket client disconnected if the upstream kept its connection open. The raw proxy waited for both copy directions to finish without reliably closing the other connection when one direction ended. Rejected upgrade responses with HTTP keep-alive were one way to trigger this behavior. Repeated connections can accumulate resources and cause denial of service. The impact depends on the proxy route's accessibility, upstream behavior and configured connection deadlines. This is a medium-severity resource-retention issue; no confidentiality or integrity impact is claimed. ## Affected versions and patch Affected versions are v4.15.0 through v4.16.0 and v5.0.0 through v5.4.0. The regression was introduced by commit e2133320c7, merged in #2852. Upgrade to [v4.16.1](https://github.com/labstack/echo/releases/tag/v4.16.1) or [v5.4.1](https://github.com/labstack/echo/releases/tag/v5.4.1). The patch uses Go's HTTP reverse proxy, preserves ordinary HTTP handling for rejected upgrades, and closes both sides of a WebSocket tunnel when either direction ends. It also covers an upstream that receives client EOF but deliberately keeps its side open. Fix commits: [v4](https://github.com/labstack/echo/commit/3fb0ba7e17645bb65611e2a08875d0a2f65c421f), [v5](https://github.com/labstack/echo/commit/1855061e572ae9dab727c811d8382f266bfbaaec). ## Workarounds Disable WebSocket proxy routes until upgrading, or apply bounded connection lifetimes and resource limits at the frontend and upstream. Server idle timeouts alone may not cover hijacked WebSocket connections. ## Credits Reported by @irisitymichaelgrundberg.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | github.com/labstack/echo/v4 (Go) | 4.15.0 to before 4.16.1 | 4.16.1 | Patch available | GHSA-9969-6676-49h5 |
| — | github.com/labstack/echo/v5 (Go) | 5.0.0 to before 5.4.1 | 5.4.1 | Patch available | GHSA-9969-6676-49h5 |
- github.com/labstack/echo/v4 (Go) Vendor— Affected 4.15.0 to before 4.16.1 Fixed in 4.16.1 Patch available GHSA-9969-6676-49h5
- github.com/labstack/echo/v5 (Go) Vendor— Affected 5.0.0 to before 5.4.1 Fixed in 5.4.1 Patch available GHSA-9969-6676-49h5
Remediation
Upgrade github.com/labstack/echo/v4 to 4.16.1 and github.com/labstack/echo/v5 to 5.4.1. Until upgrading, disable WebSocket proxy routes, or apply bounded connection lifetimes and resource limits at the frontend and upstream.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
- Fix · GHSA-9969-6676-49h5 github.com/labstack/echo/v4 (Go) Fixed in 4.16.1 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-9969-6676-49h5 github.com/labstack/echo/v5 (Go) Fixed in 5.4.1 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-23 Threatist record created from GHSA-9969-6676-49h5
References
Other 6
- https://github.com/labstack/echo/security/advisories/GHSA-9969-6676-49h5
- https://github.com/labstack/echo/commit/1855061e572ae9dab727c811d8382f266bfbaaec
- https://github.com/labstack/echo/commit/3fb0ba7e17645bb65611e2a08875d0a2f65c421f
- https://github.com/labstack/echo
- https://github.com/labstack/echo/releases/tag/v4.16.1
- https://github.com/labstack/echo/releases/tag/v5.4.1
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences