CVE-2026-84784
Published:September 29, 2026
Updated:October 15, 2026
Issue summary: A malicious remote peer may flood the local QUIC
stack with NEW_CONNECTION_ID frames by avoiding a limit check on
how many connection IDs the remote QUIC stack can use.
Impact summary: The local QUIC stack sends a RETIRE_CONN_ID frame
for every NEW_CONNECTION_ID frame it receives. The RETIRE_CONN_ID
frame is dispatched via the Control Frame Queue (CFQ). If the remote
peer also withholds ACKs, then it can force the local stack
to allocate ~400MB (depending on ACK delay).
CWE: CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
Description: RFC 9000 sections 5.1.1 and 5.1.2 [1] describe the mechanism
by which a remote peer can notify the local QUIC stack to change the
destination connection ID (a.k.a. CID) the local stack uses to
identify the connection at the remote peer. Each CID is associated
with a sequence number. The sequence number is transmitted
in NEW_CONNECTION_ID and RETIRE_CONNECTION_ID frames to identify the CID
which is being either associated with a connection or retired.
The remote peer sends a NEW_CONNECTION_ID frame to let the local stack know
a new CID is being associated with an existing connection. The
NEW_CONNECTION_ID frame carries the new CID, its sequence number, and the
retire-prior-to number. The retire-prior-to identifies existing
CIDs that are to be retired. The local QUIC stack must send a
RETIRE_CONNECTION_ID for every destination CID whose sequence number
is less than retire-prior-to. The CID becomes retired after the
local stack receives an ACK for its RETIRE_CONNECTION_ID frame.
Although the OpenSSL QUIC stack supports at most one destination CID
for every connection, it can be tricked into processing more than
one RETIRE_CONNECTION_ID frame per connection. The OpenSSL QUIC
stack currently retires the destination CID as soon as it receives
the NEW_CONNECTION_ID, while in fact the destination CID must
be retired after an ACK for the RETIRE_CONNECTION_ID frame is received.
Correcting the flawed logic also fixes the backlog growth.
[1] https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc9000#name-issuing-connection-ids
FIPS impact: no
The FIPS module is not affected as the QUIC implementation is outside of
the OpenSSL FIPS module boundary.
Affected Packages
openssl (CONAN):
Affected version(s) >=3.6.0 <3.6.5Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.6.5openssl (CONAN):
Affected version(s) >=3.5.0 <3.5.9Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.5.9openssl (CONAN):
Affected version(s) >=3.4.0 <3.4.8Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.4.8openssl (CONAN):
Affected version(s) >=4.0.1 <4.0.3Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 4.0.3openssl (CONDA):
Affected version(s) >=3.5.0 <3.5.9Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.5.9openssl (CONDA):
Affected version(s) >=3.6.0 <3.6.5Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.6.5openssl (CONDA):
Affected version(s) >=4.0.1 <4.0.3Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 4.0.3openssl (CONDA):
Affected version(s) >=3.4.0 <3.4.8Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 3.4.8https://github.com/openssl/openssl.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=openssl-3.5.0-alpha1 <openssl-3.5.9Fix Suggestion:
Update to version openssl-3.5.9https://github.com/openssl/openssl.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=openssl-4.0.0-alpha1 <openssl-4.0.3Fix Suggestion:
Update to version openssl-4.0.3https://github.com/openssl/openssl.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=openssl-3.4.0-alpha1 <openssl-3.4.8Fix Suggestion:
Update to version openssl-3.4.8https://github.com/openssl/openssl.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=openssl-3.6.0-alpha1 <openssl-3.6.5Fix Suggestion:
Update to version openssl-3.6.5Related Resources (7)
Do you need more information?
Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
8.7
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
HIGH
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
7.5
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Weakness Type (CWE)
Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
EPSS
Base Score:
0.40