Description
A denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability exists in google.protobuf.json_format.ParseDict() in Python, where the max_recursion_depth limit can be bypassed when parsing nested google.protobuf.Any messages.

Due to missing recursion depth accounting inside the internal Any-handling logic, an attacker can supply deeply nested Any structures that bypass the intended recursion limit, eventually exhausting Python’s recursion stack and causing a RecursionError.
Published: 2026-01-23
Score: 8.2 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: Denial of Service
Action: Apply Patch
AI Analysis

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-7gcm-g887-7qv7 protobuf affected by a JSON recursion depth bypass
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8063-1 Protocol Buffers vulnerability
History

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:google:protobuf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important


Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Google
Google protobuf
Google protobuf-python
Protobuf
Protobuf protobuf
Vendors & Products Google
Google protobuf
Google protobuf-python
Protobuf
Protobuf protobuf

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability exists in google.protobuf.json_format.ParseDict() in Python, where the max_recursion_depth limit can be bypassed when parsing nested google.protobuf.Any messages. Due to missing recursion depth accounting inside the internal Any-handling logic, an attacker can supply deeply nested Any structures that bypass the intended recursion limit, eventually exhausting Python’s recursion stack and causing a RecursionError.
Title Denial of Service in Python Protobuf
Weaknesses CWE-674
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.2, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:L'}


Subscriptions

Google Protobuf Protobuf-python
Protobuf Protobuf
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Google

Published:

Updated: 2026-01-30T14:28:11.435Z

Reserved: 2026-01-15T15:16:22.904Z

Link: CVE-2026-0994

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-01-23T15:33:53.235Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-01-23T15:16:06.840

Modified: 2026-04-09T14:19:17.700

Link: CVE-2026-0994

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Important

Publid Date: 2026-01-23T14:55:16Z

Links: CVE-2026-0994 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-04-18T03:15:35Z

Weaknesses