CVE-2026-33191: free5GC UDM vulnerable to null byte injection in URL path parameters causing 500 Internal Server Error

Published Mar 18, 2026
·
Updated

Impact This is an Improper Input Validation vulnerability with Denial of Service and Injection implications. - Security Impact: A remote attacker can inject null bytes (URL-encoded as %00) into the supi path parameter of the UDM's NudmSubscriberDataManagement API. This causes URL parsing failure in Go's net/url package with the error "invalid control character in URL", resulting in a 500 Internal Server Error. This null byte injection vulnerability can be exploited for denial of service attacks. - Functional Impact: When the supi parameter contains null characters, the UDM attempts to construct a URL for UDR that includes these control characters. Go's URL parser rejects them, causing the request to fail with 500 instead of properly validating input and returning 400 Bad Request. - Affected Parties: All deployments of free5GC v4.0.1 using the UDM NudmSDM service with endpoints that include path parameters (e.g., /nudm-sdm/v2/{supi}/am-data).

Patches Yes, the issue has been patched. The fix is implemented in PR free5gc/udm#79. Users should upgrade to the next release of free5GC that includes this commit.

Workarounds There is no direct workaround at the application level. The recommendation is to apply the provided patch or implement API gateway-level validation to reject requests containing null bytes in path parameters before they reach UDM.

Other sources

Free5GC is an open-source Linux Foundation project for 5th generation (5G) mobile core networks. Versions prior to 1.4.2 are vulnerable to null byte injection in URL path parameters. A remote attacker can inject null bytes (URL-encoded as %00) into the supi path parameter of the UDM's NudmSubscriberDataManagement API. This causes URL parsing failure in Go's net/url package with the error "invalid control character in URL", resulting in a 500 Internal Server Error. This null byte injection vulnerability can be exploited for denial of service attacks. When the supi parameter contains null characters, the UDM attempts to construct a URL for UDR that includes these control characters. Go's URL parser rejects them, causing the request to fail with 500 instead of properly validating input and returning 400 Bad Request. This issue has been fixed in version 1.4.2.

MITRE

Affected Software

2 affected componentsFixes available
go/github.com/free5gc/udm<1.4.2
1.4.2
free5gc Udm Go<1.4.2

Event History

Mar 18, 2026
Advisory Published
via GitHub·08:11 PM
Data Sourced
via GitHub·08:11 PM
DescriptionWeaknessAffected Software
Mar 20, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:54 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:54 AM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·08:16 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·08:16 AM
RemedyAffected Software
Mar 31, 58197
Event
via FIRST·04:58 AM

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-33191?

The severity of CVE-2026-33191 is significant due to its ability to cause Denial of Service and injection vulnerabilities.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-33191?

To fix CVE-2026-33191, upgrade the UDM to version 1.4.2 or later as it addresses the improper input validation issues.

3

What types of attacks can exploit CVE-2026-33191?

CVE-2026-33191 can be exploited by remote attackers injecting null bytes into the `supi` path parameter.

4

Which software versions are affected by CVE-2026-33191?

CVE-2026-33191 affects versions of the UDM up to but not including 1.4.2.

5

Can CVE-2026-33191 lead to data breaches?

While CVE-2026-33191 primarily causes Denial of Service, it also has the potential to lead to further exploitation if not resolved.

Contact

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