net/http: Asymmetric Resource Consumption (Amplification)
CVE-2026-78659 is a high-severity asymmetric resource consumption (amplification) vulnerability in net/http from Go standard library, 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. The record lists version 1.26.9 as the first without the flaw, so updating net/http to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.87% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 59% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update net/http to 1.26.9 or a later version.
- Update net/http/internal/http2 to 1.27.2 or a later version.
- Update golang.org/x/net/http2 to 0.60.0 or a later version.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go standard library | net/http | before 1.26.9 | 1.26.9 |
| Go standard library | net/http/internal/http2 | 1.27.0-0 up to, but not including, 1.27.2 | 1.27.2 |
| Golang.org/x/net | golang.org/x/net/http2 | before 0.60.0 | 0.60.0 |
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
- 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 CISA (ADP).
Official description
When "Trailer" headers are sent by a client, the HTTP server internally uses the header values to populate the Request.Trailer map passed to the server handler. Because Request.Trailer is a map, each entry incurs memory overhead. For HTTP/2 servers, a malicious client can exploit this by sending a "Trailer" header that declares a large number of fields, causing the server to allocate a disproportionate amount of memory while bypassing Server.MaxHeaderValueCount and Server.MaxHeaderBytes limits. This exploit is not applicable for HTTP/1 servers, which do not support multiplexing a large number of requests over one TCP connection, and whose Server.MaxHeaderBytes are calculated differently.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Asymmetric Resource Consumption (Amplification)
The product does not properly control situations in which an adversary can cause the product to consume or produce excessive resources without requiring the adversary to invest equivalent work or otherwise prove authorization, i.e., the adversary's influence is asymmetric.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- An application must make resources available to a client commensurate with the client's access level.
- An application must, at all times, keep track of allocated resources and meter their usage appropriately.
- Consider disabling resource-intensive algorithms on the server side, such as Diffie-Hellman key exchange.
More Asymmetric Resource Consumption (Amplification) vulnerabilities (CWE-405)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in net/http
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Asymmetric Resource Consumption (Amplification) vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.