CVE-2026-44288

A flaw was found in protobufjs, a library that compiles protobuf definitions into JavaScript functions. An attacker who can provide specially crafted protobuf binary data containing overlong UTF-8 (Unicode Transformation Format - 8-bit) byte sequences may be able to bypass application-level checks. This occurs because the minimal UTF-8 decoder in protobufjs incorrectly decodes these sequences to their canonical characters instead of rejecting them. This could lead to unexpected data interpretation and potentially allow an attacker to circumvent security controls.

Moderate: A flaw in protobufjs, as used in Red Hat products, allows an attacker to bypass application-level security checks. By providing specially crafted protobuf binary data with overlong UTF-8 sequences, an attacker could cause incorrect data interpretation, potentially circumventing security controls that inspect raw bytes before string decoding. This could lead to unintended behavior or access within applications relying on protobufjs for data processing.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base, or stability.