CVE-2026-94634 in Thrift
Summary
by MITRE • 10/02/2026
Allocation of resources without limits or throttling, Initialization of a resource with an insecure default vulnerability in Apache Thrift Python bindings.
This issue affects Apache Thrift: before 0.25.0.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 0.25.0, which fixes the issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2026
The identified security flaw resides within the Apache Thrift Python bindings and is categorized as an allocation of resources without limits or throttling combined with initialization of a resource using insecure defaults. This vulnerability impacts versions prior to 0.25.0 and represents a significant risk to system stability and availability when processing untrusted input data through the serialization framework. The core technical issue stems from how the Python bindings handle incoming network requests that trigger resource allocation mechanisms without enforcing strict boundaries on memory consumption or connection limits. When an attacker sends specially crafted payloads, they can exploit this lack of throttling to consume excessive server resources, leading to a denial of service condition where legitimate users are unable to access services due to resource exhaustion.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability allows for rapid allocation of system resources such as memory buffers or file descriptors without adequate validation of input size or complexity. This behavior aligns with CWE-770, which describes the allocation of resources without limits or throttling, and CWE-259, concerning the use of default passwords or insecure defaults in initialization processes if applicable to specific configuration states within the binding layer. The absence of rate limiting means that a single client can initiate multiple concurrent requests or send large payloads that force the server to allocate substantial amounts of memory for deserialization operations. This uncontrolled resource consumption can quickly deplete available system resources, causing the application to become unresponsive or crash entirely under load conditions generated by malicious actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is primarily focused on availability rather than confidentiality or integrity in its immediate manifestation. By exploiting the lack of input validation and resource limits, an attacker can execute a denial-of-service attack that disrupts service continuity for all users relying on the Apache Thrift-based application. This aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1498, Network Denial of Service, specifically sub-technique T1498.003 which involves flooding or overwhelming resources. The severity is heightened in environments where Apache Thrift is used for high-throughput microservices communication, as the cascading effects of resource exhaustion can lead to broader infrastructure instability beyond just the affected service instance.
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations must upgrade their Apache Thrift dependencies to version 0.25.0 or later, which includes patches that enforce proper resource limits and input validation mechanisms within the Python bindings. In addition to upgrading software components, administrators should implement network-level controls such as rate limiting at the load balancer or reverse proxy layer to restrict the number of requests a single client can make within a given time frame. This compensating control helps mitigate the impact even if older versions remain in use temporarily during transition periods. Furthermore, input validation strategies should be applied to ensure that payload sizes are checked against predefined thresholds before they reach the deserialization logic, thereby preventing excessive memory allocation attempts at an earlier stage of request processing.