plone.app.portlets: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
CVE-2026-55248 is a critical-severity uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in plone.app.portlets from Plone, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected plone.app.portlets versions: < 5.0.8; >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.4; >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.2. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.44% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of plone.app.portlets you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plone | plone.app.portlets | < 5.0.8; >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.4; >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.2 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. 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
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- LowSome restricted data can be read.
- Integrity
- LowLimited modification of data is possible.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
plone.app.portlets provides portlets and a Plone-specific user interface for plone.portlets. Prior to 5.0.8, 6.0.4, and 7.0.2, a member who can add an RSS portlet can set its feed URL to a very large response, causing src/plone/app/portlets/portlets/rss.py to download and retain excessive data in memory and deny service. The same RSS URL handling accepts internal hosts, IP addresses, single-word domains, and explicit ports, allowing server-side requests that can probe internal network services and open ports. A malicious feed item can also supply a JavaScript URL that is retained as the item link and can execute script when used by a victim. The affected logic includes _rss_feed_url_validator, _normal_url_validator, RSSFeed._retrieveFeed, RSSFeed._buildItemDict, and the FEED_DATA in-memory cache. This issue is fixed in versions 5.0.8, 6.0.4, and 7.0.2.
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
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- github.com/plone/plone.app.portlets/commit/09da52ef7b297daa8e0cfd2361e47c37d9b073ad
- github.com/plone/plone.app.portlets/commit/9f16b6fb10211916686c6c346ea174bf517e3fbd
- github.com/plone/plone.app.portlets/commit/a3b2c2887165b308cd915cbb87b8276f90a76680
- github.com/plone/plone.app.portlets/commit/df5e256baee55083cbd6b9a2623675d4cb26b6cd
Other vulnerabilities in plone.app.portlets
- 9.9 Critical severity
Recent Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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