Protobuf V33.0 google.protobuf.json_format.ParseDict recursion

CVSS Meta Temp Score
CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.
Current Exploit Price (≈)
Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.
CTI Interest Score
Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
5.3$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as problematic has been found in Protobuf V33.0. Affected by this vulnerability is the function google.protobuf.json_format.ParseDict. Executing a manipulation can lead to recursion. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2026-0994. The attack can be launched remotely. No exploit exists.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Protobuf V33.0 and classified as problematic. This vulnerability affects the function google.protobuf.json_format.ParseDict. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a recursion vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-674. The product does not properly control the amount of recursion that takes place, consuming excessive resources, such as allocated memory or the program stack. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

A denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability exists in google.protobuf.json_format.ParseDict() in Python, where the max_recursion_depth limit can be bypassed when parsing nested google.protobuf.Any messages. Due to missing recursion depth accounting inside the internal Any-handling logic, an attacker can supply deeply nested Any structures that bypass the intended recursion limit, eventually exhausting Python’s recursion stack and causing a RecursionError.

The advisory is available at github.com. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-0994 since 01/15/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is required for a successful exploitation. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. This vulnerability is assigned to T1499 by the MITRE ATT&CK project.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 296422 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-0994), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

There is no information about possible countermeasures known. It may be suggested to replace the affected object with an alternative product.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (296422) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-0480). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Affected

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • IBM App Connect Enterprise
  • Splunk Splunk Enterprise

Productinfo

Name

Version

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CNA CVSS-B Score: 🔒
CNA CVSS-BT Score: 🔒
CNA Vector: 🔒

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.3

VulDB Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Recursion
CWE: CWE-674 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-DayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
TodayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

Nessus ID: 296422
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-0994

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: no mitigation known
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Timelineinfo

01/15/2026 CVE reserved
01/23/2026 +8 days Advisory disclosed
01/23/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
05/03/2026 +100 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: github.com
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-0994 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-0994
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-342562
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2026-0480 - Red Hat Enterprise Linux (Python Protobuf): Schwachstelle ermöglicht Denial of Service

Entryinfo

Created: 01/23/2026 16:21
Updated: 05/03/2026 08:24
Changes: 01/23/2026 16:21 (63), 01/25/2026 04:54 (2), 03/08/2026 21:02 (7), 05/03/2026 08:24 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Discussion

No comments yet. Languages: en.

Please log in to comment.

◂ PreviousOverviewNext ▸

Do you need the next level of professionalism?

Upgrade your account now!