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Undici has an unbounded decompression chain in HTTP responses on Node.js Fetch API via Content-Encoding leads to resource exhaustion

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Jan 14, 2026 in nodejs/undici • Updated Jan 22, 2026

Package

npm undici (npm)

Affected versions

>= 7.0.0, < 7.18.2
< 6.23.0

Patched versions

7.18.2
6.23.0

Description

Impact

The fetch() API supports chained HTTP encoding algorithms for response content according to RFC 9110 (e.g., Content-Encoding: gzip, br). This is also supported by the undici decompress interceptor.

However, the number of links in the decompression chain is unbounded and the default maxHeaderSize allows a malicious server to insert thousands compression steps leading to high CPU usage and excessive memory allocation.

Patches

Upgrade to 7.18.2 or 6.23.0.

Workarounds

It is possible to apply an undici interceptor and filter long Content-Encoding sequences manually.

References

References

@mcollina mcollina published to nodejs/undici Jan 14, 2026
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Jan 14, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Jan 14, 2026
Reviewed Jan 14, 2026
Last updated Jan 22, 2026

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(4th percentile)

Weaknesses

Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling

The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-22036

GHSA ID

GHSA-g9mf-h72j-4rw9

Source code

Credits

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