CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-42154NVD status: Modified

prometheus: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-42154 is a high-severity uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in prometheus, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected prometheus versions: < 3.5.3; >= 3.6.0, < 3.11.3. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.81% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 58% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of prometheus you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Prometheusprometheus< 3.5.3; >= 3.6.0, < 3.11.3Not stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update SupportNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Update Services for SAP SolutionsNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 Extended Update SupportNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRHEM 1.0 for RHEL 9Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRHEM 1.1 for RHEL 10Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRHEM 1.1 for RHEL 9Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatLogging for Red Hat OpenShift 6Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatLogging for Red Hat OpenShift 6.2Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatLogging Subsystem for Red Hat OpenShift 6.4Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatLogging Subsystem for Red Hat OpenShift 6.5Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatMulticluster Global Hub 1.4.5Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatMulticluster Global Hub 1.6.5Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatMulticluster Global Hub 1.7.0Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatOpenShift File Integrity Operator - FIO 1Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2.13Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2.17Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Edge Manager 1.0Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Edge Manager 1.1Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Hardened ImagesNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat multicluster global hub 1.5.3Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.12Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.14Not specified in the recordNot stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE; 31 further products are omitted here. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
NoneNo data is disclosed.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.5HighCNA (github.com)
CVSS 3.17.5HighCNA

Official description

Prometheus is an open-source monitoring system and time series database. Prior to versions 3.5.3 and 3.11.3, the remote read endpoint (/api/v1/read) does not validate the declared decoded length in a snappy-compressed request body before allocating memory. An unauthenticated attacker can send a small payload that causes a huge heap allocation per request. Under concurrent load this can exhaust available memory and crash the Prometheus process. This issue has been patched in versions 3.5.3 and 3.11.3.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Ensure that protocols have specific limits of scale placed on them.
  • Ensure that all failures in resource allocation place the system into a safe posture.

More Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerabilities (CWE-400)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in prometheus

All prometheus vulnerabilities

Recent Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerabilities

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