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Netty: Unix-socket fd receive leaks descriptors when peer sends two at once

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Jun 5, 2026 in netty/netty • Updated Jun 12, 2026

Package

maven io.netty:netty-transport-native-epoll (Maven)

Affected versions

>= 4.2.0.Final, <= 4.2.14.Final
<= 4.1.134.Final

Patched versions

4.2.15.Final
4.1.135.Final
maven io.netty:netty-transport-native-kqueue (Maven)
>= 4.2.0.Final, <= 4.2.14.Final
<= 4.1.134.Final
4.2.15.Final
4.1.135.Final

Description

netty_unix_socket_recvFd sets msg_control to char control[CMSG_SPACE(sizeof(int))] (line 940) — 24 bytes on 64-bit Linux. A peer-sent SCM_RIGHTS cmsg carrying two ints has cmsg_len = CMSG_LEN(8) = 24, which fits exactly with no MSG_CTRUNC, so the kernel installs both fds in the receiving process. The subsequent check cmsg->cmsg_len == CMSG_LEN(sizeof(int)) (line 972, expected 20) fails, the branch that would read the fd is skipped, and neither installed fd is closed. The for(;;) loop calls recvmsg again (non-blocking → EAGAIN → Java maps to 0 → read loop exits normally), leaving two leaked fds per message. There is no MSG_CTRUNC handling. Reachable via Epoll/KQueue DomainSocketChannel when the application opts into DomainSocketReadMode.FILE_DESCRIPTORS (non-default).

References

@chrisvest chrisvest published to netty/netty Jun 5, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Jun 8, 2026
Reviewed Jun 8, 2026
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Jun 12, 2026
Last updated Jun 12, 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
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Low

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:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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.
(2nd percentile)

Weaknesses

Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor

The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. Learn more on MITRE.

Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime

The product does not release a resource after its effective lifetime has ended, i.e., after the resource is no longer needed. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-45536

GHSA ID

GHSA-w573-9ffj-6ff9

Source code

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