CVE-2026-44432·Python vulnerability
urllib3 is an HTTP client library for Python. From 2.6.0 to before 2.7.0, urllib3 could decompress the whole response instead of the requested portion (1) during the second HTTPResponse.read(amt=N) call when the response was decompressed using the official Brotli library or (2) when HTTPResponse.drain_conn() was called after the response had been read and decompressed partially (compression algorithm did not matter here). These issues could cause urllib3 to fully decode a small amount of highly compressed data in a single operation. This could result in excessive resource consumption (high CPU usage and massive memory allocation for the decompressed data) on the client side. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.7.0.
- Severity
- high
- Software
- Python
- Fixed in
- 2.7.0
- Published
- 2026-05-13
Affected versions
From: 2.6.0
Until: 2.7.0
Fixed in: 2.7.0
How to fix this CVE
Upgrade urllib3 to version 2.7.0 or later to prevent decompression-related denial-of-service attacks. This vulnerability allows attackers to trigger excessive CPU and memory consumption by forcing the library to fully decompress highly compressed HTTP responses. Update your Python environment immediately if you are running urllib3 versions 2.6.0 through 2.6.x.
sudo dnf update python3-urllib3Defensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Check the installed urllib3 version: python3 -c "import urllib3; print(urllib3.__version__)"
- Verify if urllib3 is in use: pip3 show urllib3 | grep Version
- Search application logs for decompression errors: grep -r "decompress\|Brotli" /var/log/
- Confirm the patch by re-running: python3 -c "import urllib3; print(urllib3.__version__)" (should show 2.7.0 or higher)
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-44432?
CVE-2026-44432 is a denial-of-service vulnerability in urllib3 where decompression of HTTP responses can be triggered to consume all available system memory and CPU resources. The flaw occurs during partial reads or when drain operations follow decompression, particularly with Brotli-compressed content.
Is CVE-2026-44432 being actively exploited?
No, there are no reports of active exploitation or publicly available exploits for this vulnerability at this time, though it should still be patched as a precaution.
What versions of Python are affected by CVE-2026-44432?
The vulnerability affects urllib3 versions 2.6.0 through 2.6.x. Python 3.x installations that depend on vulnerable urllib3 packages are at risk.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2026-44432?
Run: python3 -c "import urllib3; v = urllib3.__version__.split('.'); print('Vulnerable' if int(v[0])==2 and int(v[1])==6 else 'Safe')"
Does Defensia detect CVE-2026-44432?
Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If urllib3 or Python is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2026-44432 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Python CVEs
References
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