CVE-2026-21696: Endless reprocessing/reupload of activity log data due to SQLite max parameters limit not being considered

Published Jan 19, 2026
·
Updated

Summary Wings does not consider SQLite max parameter limit when processing activity log entries allowing for low privileged user to trigger a condition that floods the panel with activity records

Details After wings sends activity logs to the panel it deletes the processed activity entries from the wings SQLite database. However, it does not consider the max parameter limit of SQLite, 32766 as of SQLite 3.32.0.

If wings attempts to delete more than 32766 entries from the SQLite database in one query, it triggers an error (SQL logic error: too many SQL variables (1)) and does not remove any entries from the database. These entries are then indefinitely re-processed and resent to the panel each time the cron runs.

https://github.com/pterodactyl/wings/blob/9ffbcdcdb1163da823cf9959b9602df9f7dcb54a/internal/cron/activitycron.go#L81 https://github.com/pterodactyl/wings/blob/9ffbcdcdb1163da823cf9959b9602df9f7dcb54a/internal/cron/sftpcron.go#L86

PoC Any method that can create the required 32767+ activity entries can trigger this vulnerability. It can (and has) been triggered by normal (non-malicious) use. I attached a simple PoC I used while verifying this that uses sftp to quickly create many small files, thus creating activity entries in the SQLite database. https://ptero.co/mococesoca.go

Impact By successfully exploiting this vulnerability you can trigger a situation where wings will keep uploading the same activity data to the panel repeatedly (growing each time to include new activity) until the panels’ database server runs out of disk space.

Other sources

Wings is the server control plane for Pterodactyl, a free, open-source game server management panel. Starting in version 1.7.0 and prior to version 1.12.0, Wings does not consider SQLite max parameter limit when processing activity log entries allowing for low privileged user to trigger a condition that floods the panel with activity records. After Wings sends activity logs to the panel it deletes the processed activity entries from the wings SQLite database. However, it does not consider the max parameter limit of SQLite, 32766 as of SQLite 3.32.0. If wings attempts to delete more than 32766 entries from the SQLite database in one query, it triggers an error (SQL logic error: too many SQL variables (1)) and does not remove any entries from the database. These entries are then indefinitely re-processed and resent to the panel each time the cron runs. By successfully exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can trigger a situation where wings will keep uploading the same activity data to the panel repeatedly (growing each time to include new activity) until the panels' database server runs out of disk space. Version 1.12.0 fixes the issue.

MITRE

Affected Software

3 affected componentsFixes available
Pterodactyl/Wings>=1.7.0<1.12.0
go/github.com/pterodactyl/wings>=1.7.0<1.12.0
1.12.0
pterodactyl wings>=1.7.0<1.12.0

Event History

Jan 19, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:25 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:25 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·08:15 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·08:15 PM
Affected Software
Jan 20, 2026
Advisory Published
via GitHub·04:30 PM
Data Sourced
via GitHub·04:30 PM
DescriptionWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-21696?

CVE-2026-21696 is considered a moderate severity vulnerability due to the endless reprocessing/reupload of activity log data.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-21696?

To fix CVE-2026-21696, update Wings to version 1.12.0 or later to address the SQLite max parameters limit issue.

3

What versions of Wings are affected by CVE-2026-21696?

Wings versions from 1.7.0 to prior to 1.12.0 are affected by CVE-2026-21696.

4

What is the impact of CVE-2026-21696?

CVE-2026-21696 can lead to performance degradation due to the endless reprocessing of activity log data.

5

Where can I find more information about CVE-2026-21696?

Additional information about CVE-2026-21696 can typically be found in the Wings project repository or security advisories.

Contact

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