CVE-2026-109932: undici WebSocket client vulnerable to Denial of Service via unbounded automatic PONG buffering
undici is an HTTP client library for Node.js. In versions 5.15.0 through 6.29.0, 7.0.0 through 7.30.0, and 8.0.0 through 8.12.1, its WebSocket client, including the bundled WebSocket exposed by Node.js, can be driven to exhaust process memory by a malicious or compromised WebSocket server. For every PING frame received, the client automatically writes a PONG response and ignores the backpressure signal from the socket write, so a server that streams small PING frames while never reading the client's PONGs makes the outbound write queue and heap grow without bound until the Node.js process runs out of memory and terminates. The attack is remote and unauthenticated, needs only a normal WebSocket connection, and is asymmetric, since small inbound PINGs produce a much larger retained outbound queue, with availability the only impact. The issue is fixed in undici 6.29.1, 7.30.1, and 8.12.2, which pause WebSocket frame parsing when the automatic PONG response hits socket backpressure and resume on drain, bounding the outbound queue, and users should upgrade to one of those versions or later. There is no workaround.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
undicito a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.29.1 - Upgrade
Upgrade
undicito a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.30.1 - Upgrade
Upgrade
undicito a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 8.12.2
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which deployments are exposed to this denial-of-service condition?
Deployments using the undici WebSocket client in versions 5.15.0 through 6.29.0, 7.0.0 through 7.30.0, or 8.0.0 through 8.12.1 are affected. This also includes the bundled WebSocket exposed by Node.js where it uses an affected undici version.
What must an attacker do to trigger the issue?
An attacker needs only a normal WebSocket connection to a client that connects to a malicious or compromised WebSocket server. The server sends small PING frames continuously while not reading the automatic PONG responses, causing the client's outbound queue and heap to grow until the process terminates.
Is there a mitigation if upgrading cannot happen immediately?
No workaround is provided. Upgrade undici to 6.29.1, 7.30.1, or 8.12.2 or later, depending on the affected release line.