CVE-2026-28975
Published:June 12, 2026
Updated:June 15, 2026
Impact When "NIOHTTPRequestDecompressor" is configured with ".ratio(N)", the decompression limit is enforced using the "Content-Length" header value from the incoming request rather than the actual number of compressed bytes received. Since "Content-Length" is attacker-controlled, a malicious client can supply an inflated value that causes the ratio check to always pass, effectively disabling the configured decompression limit. This allows an attacker to send a small, highly-compressed payload (a "gzip bomb") with a falsified "Content-Length" header to bypass the ratio-based protection entirely. The server will decompress the payload without limit, consuming unbounded memory and potentially causing denial of service. For example, a gzip payload containing highly repetitive data can achieve amplification ratios of several hundred to one. Under ".ratio(10)" such a payload should be rejected, but if the attacker sets "Content-Length" to match the decompressed size, the check evaluates "decompressed > decompressed * 10" which is always false, and the payload is accepted without error. Across repeated requests, this allows sustained memory amplification far exceeding the configured limits with no error raised. Relationship to CVE-2020-9840 GHSA-xhhr-p2r9-jmm7 (CVE-2020-9840) found that the ".size" limit checked compressed rather than decompressed bytes and recommended ".ratio" as a workaround. This advisory identifies a distinct flaw in the ".ratio" limit itself: it uses the attacker-supplied "Content-Length" header as the denominator rather than actual consumed compressed bytes. The two vulnerabilities are in the same decompression limit enforcement code but involve non-overlapping logic errors. Users who followed the CVE-2020-9840 workaround by switching to ".ratio(N)" are affected by this vulnerability. Patches Fixed in swift-nio-extras 1.34.1. The fix unifies the request and response decompressor implementations so that both accumulate actual compressed bytes received ("compressedLength += part.readableBytes") rather than relying on any header-supplied value. Workarounds Use ".size(N)" instead of ".ratio(N)" if a fixed upper bound on decompressed output is acceptable for the application. The ".size" limit is not affected by this vulnerability as it does not reference "Content-Length". Credits NIOExtras is grateful to @nathanielmiller23 for their reporting and assistance with the process.
Affected Packages
github.com/apple/swift-nio-extras (SWIFT):
Affected version(s) >=0.1.0 <1.34.1Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 1.34.1Related Resources (2)
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Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
6.9
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
NONE
Vulnerable System Integrity
NONE
Vulnerable System Availability
LOW
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
5.3
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
LOW