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CVE-2026-72678

Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value in Elasticsearch Leading to Denial of Service

Published: Aug 13, 2026Updated: Sep 1, 2026 Sources: CVE List NVDCWE-789
6.5MEDIUM
NVD MITRE
EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 78.1%
CISA KEV
Not in KEV
Exploits
No Known Exploits
Remediation
Patch Available
Self-Check
OpenVAS

Description

Elasticsearch does not validate a size value taken from a user-supplied input before that value is used to reserve memory for an internal data structure. An authenticated user holding only read privileges can submit a single small crafted request to a product API endpoint that causes the node to attempt an excessively large allocation. The resulting memory exhaustion raises a fatal error that terminates the Elasticsearch node process, causing a denial of service for the affected node and degrading cluster health. The defect is not volumetric, so a single request is sufficient regardless of the heap size configured on the target node.

No summary for this CVE yet.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:NAC:LPR:LUI:NS:UC:NI:NA:H
Exploitability
AV:NAttack Vector
Network
AC:LAttack Complexity
Low
PR:LPrivileges Required
Low
UI:NUser Interaction
None
Scope
S:UScope
Unchanged
Impact
C:NConfidentiality
None
I:NIntegrity
None
A:HAvailability
High
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Weaknesses

CWE-789

Affected Products

Elastic
commercial·USaka elastic.co, elasticsearch co.
ElasticsearchOn-premDatabase
Databases
and 1 more affected products View all →

Exploitability

Official Patch Available
Is your org exposed to CVE-2026-72678?We can run the check for you — a free external exposure review, no install. Check my exposure

References

https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-8-19-20-9-4-5-9-5-1-security-update-esa-2026-80/389507
discuss.elastic.co

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