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NVD / CVE Program· CNA EEF

CVE-2026-59251: Denial of service via exponential certificate policy tree growth in path validation

HighCVSS 8.7 · v4.0—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 34/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.34% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • According to CISA the attack is automatable: targets can be found by mass scanning.
  • Fixed version: Erlang OTP 1.17.1.5, 1.20.3.4, 1.21.4; azl3 erlang 26.2.5.21-4 on Azure Linux 3.0 26.2.5.21-3.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Erlang OTP 1.17.1.5, 1.20.3.4, 1.21.4; azl3 erlang 26.2.5.21-4 on Azure Linux 3.0 26.2.5.21-3 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

Allocation of resources without limits in Erlang/OTP public_key certificate path validation allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to cause denial of service by sending a crafted X.509 certificate chain during the TLS handshake. During RFC 5280 policy processing in public_key:pkix_path_validation/3, the certificate policy tree maintained by pubkey_policy_tree grows without an upper bound. When a certificate chain contains M policies per certificate and K certificates, the tree grows on the order of M^K nodes because pubkey_policy_tree:add_leaves/2 and pubkey_policy_tree:add_leaf_siblings/2 extend the tree per policy per certificate. A modest chain with many policies per certificate is enough to pin BEAM schedulers and exhaust the node's memory, taking down the entire VM. The attacker only needs to be able to present a certificate chain to the victim, which is the normal precondition for a TLS handshake, so exploitation succeeds against any incoming or outgoing TLS connection that validates the peer's chain (the default for SSL/TLS clients and mutual-TLS servers). This is the same vulnerability class as OpenSSL's X509_verify_cert policy tree DoS. This vulnerability is associated with program files lib/public_key/src/pubkey_policy_tree.erl and program routines pubkey_policy_tree:add_leaves/2 and pubkey_policy_tree:add_leaf_siblings/2. This issue affects OTP from OTP 26.2 before OTP 27.3.4.15, OTP 28.5.0.4, and OTP 29.0.4, corresponding to public_key from 1.15 before 1.17.1.5, 1.20.3.4, and 1.21.4.

Published
Jul 27, 2026
Updated
Nov 11, 2026
EPSS
0.3% · 28th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

34

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
34 / 40 · 8.7 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.3%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
partial

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
—
CNA · EEF
8.7
NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:L

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
erlangerlang/otp
erlangerlang/public key

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (EEF). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Erlang OTP

    • 26.2 and lateraffected · otpfixed in 27.3.4.15, 28.5.0.4, 29.0.4
    • 1.15 and lateraffected · otpfixed in 1.17.1.5, 1.20.3.4, 1.21.4
    • 9d1dda7bad5a64b58c10a1554751689e94131a73 and lateraffected · gitfixed in f8580fc117098c08165f46c26fd0750c5cfb2a90, f04c6bba38de1cf1b1836a7d9a9fbe239bd939e8
Affected versions · NVD (6)

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • erlang erlang/otp26.2 and later · before 27.3.4.15
  • erlang erlang/otp28.0 and later · before 28.5.0.4
  • erlang erlang/otp29.0 and later · before 29.0.4
  • erlang erlang/public key1.15 and later · before 1.17.1.5
  • erlang erlang/public key1.18 and later · before 1.20.3.4
  • erlang erlang/public key1.21 and later · before 1.21.4

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12erlangfrom 0—
Debian:13erlangbefore 1:27.3.4.1+dfsg-1+deb13u31:27.3.4.1+dfsg-1+deb13u3
Debian:14erlangbefore 1:29.0.4+dfsg-11:29.0.4+dfsg-1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27before 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-asn1before 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-common_testbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-compilerbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-cryptobefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-debuggerbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-dialyzerbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-diameterbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-edocbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-eldapbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-erl_interfacebefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-ertsbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-etbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-eunitbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-examplesbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-ftpbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-gdb-toolsbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-inetsbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-jinterfacebefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-kernelbefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1
Red Hat:hummingbird:1erlang27-megacobefore 0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1

+18

Same product

erlang: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-55953TLS 1.2 and DTLS client accepts unoffered anonymous cipher suite, bypassing server authentication
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2026-49759Stack buffer overflow in SCTP error cause parsing in inet_drv allows remote VM crash
    35Monitor
  • CVE-2026-58227TLS/DTLS denial of service via unbounded recursion on cross-signed peer certificate chain
    34Monitor

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-42792Jul 27, 2026 · epmd permanent DoS via EMFILE on accept(2) in erts
    25Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-54890Jul 27, 2026 · BEAM VM crash via integer underflow in binary_to_term BIT_BINARY_EXT decoding
    32Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-55737Jul 27, 2026 · Heap pointer corruption via signed/unsigned mismatch in LARGE_TUPLE_EXT decoding in erts external term format decoder
    20Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Erlang OTP1.17.1.5Vendor (CNA)
Erlang OTP1.20.3.4Vendor (CNA)
Erlang OTP1.21.4Vendor (CNA)
Erlang OTP27.3.4.15Vendor (CNA)
Erlang OTP28.5.0.4Vendor (CNA)
Erlang OTP29.0.4Vendor (CNA)
Erlang OTPf04c6bba38de1cf1b1836a7d9a9fbe239bd939e8Vendor (CNA)
Erlang OTPf8580fc117098c08165f46c26fd0750c5cfb2a90Vendor (CNA)
azl3 erlang 26.2.5.21-4 on Azure Linux 3.026.2.5.21-3 · CBL-Mariner ReleasesMicrosoft (MSRC)
debian:erlang1:27.3.4.1+dfsg-1+deb13u3 · Debian:13Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang270:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-asn10:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-common_test0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-compiler0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-crypto0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-debugger0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-dialyzer0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-diameter0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-edoc0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-eldap0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-erl_interface0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)
red hat:erlang27-erts0:27.3.4.15-0.1.hum1 · Red Hat:hummingbird:1Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

Not on record for this CVE: variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
Integrity
Availability
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
X

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-770 · Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling

CVSS vector

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:L/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

nvd-secondary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

References

Show all references (6 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records