CVE-2026-90799 Apache Software Foundation CVE debrief

Who should care

Apache CouchDB administrators and users should assess exposure and upgrade to version 3.5.3 to prevent denial-of-service attacks via memory exhaustion. This issue affects Apache CouchDB 3.5.2 and below, and it is recommended that administrators review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified. Security teams should track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented.

Why it matters

Apache CouchDB 3.5.2 and below are vulnerable to a denial-of-service attack via memory exhaustion. Users should upgrade to version 3.5.3 to prevent this issue.

• Denial of service via memory exhaustion
• Potential for authenticated users to cause system instability
• Need for upgrade to version 3.5.3 for fix

Technical summary

Unsafe binary deserialization in chttpd in Apache CouchDB 3.5.2 and below allows an authenticated user to cause a denial of service via memory exhaustion. This issue is related to the handling of specially crafted sequence values in _changes sequences and _search bookmarks. The vulnerability can be mitigated by upgrading to version 3.5.3, which fixes this issue. It is recommended that administrators assess their exposure and apply the necessary upgrades to prevent memory exhaustion attacks. The CVE record and source item provide details on the vulnerability and recommended upgrade.

Defensive priority

Upgrade to version 3.5.3 to prevent memory exhaustion attacks.

Recommended defensive actions

• Upgrade Apache CouchDB to version 3.5.3
• Review and apply vendor-provided patches
• Monitor for potential memory exhaustion attacks
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up
• Review the supplied official advisory or CVE record to validate affected scope, severity, and vendor guidance
• Plan vendor-supported updates or mitigations through normal change control where exposure is confirmed
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review

Evidence notes

The CVE record and source item provide details on the vulnerability and recommended upgrade to version 3.5.3. The vulnerability is caused by unsafe binary deserialization in chttpd, which can lead to memory exhaustion and denial-of-service attacks. Evidence of this vulnerability can be found in the official CVE Program record and the NIST NVD detail page. Defenders should verify the affected scope and severity, and review compensating controls for exposed systems.

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.