curl: Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data
CVE-2026-8924 is a critical-severity insertion of sensitive information into sent data vulnerability in curl, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 8.14.2, 8.16.1, 8.20.1 as the first without the flaw, so updating curl to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.66% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 52% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update curl to 8.14.2 or 8.16.1 or 8.20.1 or 51beed175dbfc37da3113f6acce60c630c070ce8, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on curl.se for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curl | curl | 7.46.0 up to, but not including, 8.14.2; 8.15.0 up to, but not including, 8.16.1; 8.17.0 up to, but not including, 8.20.1; e77b5b7453c1e8ccd7ec0816890d98e2f392e465 up to, but not including, 51beed175dbfc37da3113f6acce60c630c070ce8; 8.20.0; 8.19.0; 8.18.0; 8.17.0; and 32 more ranges | 8.14.2, 8.16.1, 8.20.1, 51beed175dbfc37da3113f6acce60c630c070ce8 |
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
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
A flaw in curl’s cookie parsing logic allows a malicious HTTP server to set "super cookies" that bypass the Public Suffix List check. This enables an attacker-controlled origin to inject cookies that curl subsequently scopes and transmits to unrelated third-party domains.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data
The code transmits data to another actor, but a portion of the data includes sensitive information that should not be accessible to that actor.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Specify which data in the software should be regarded as sensitive. Consider which types of users should have access to which types of data.
- Ensure that any possibly sensitive data specified in the requirements is verified with designers to ensure that it is either a calculated risk or mitigated elsewhere. Any information that is not necessary to the functionality should be removed in order to lower both the overhead and the possibility of security sensitive data being sent.
- Setup default error messages so that unexpected errors do not disclose sensitive information.
More Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data vulnerabilities (CWE-201)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)
- hackerone.com/reports/3733905Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
Other vulnerabilities in curl
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
Recent Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data vulnerabilities
- 7.4 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
- 7.4 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.