CVE-2026-45768 OISF CVE debrief

Who should care

Network security teams, particularly those using Suricata for network security monitoring, should assess their exposure to this vulnerability. Updating to the latest version or applying workarounds can help prevent potential denial-of-service attacks.

Why it matters

CVE-2026-45768 is a high-severity vulnerability in Suricata that could lead to denial-of-service attacks. Network security teams should assess their exposure, especially if using Suricata versions 8.0.0 through 8.0.4, and consider updating to version 8.0.5 or applying recommended workarounds.

• Potential denial-of-service due to excessive memory consumption
• Need to verify and update Suricata to version 8.0.5
• Possible impact on network security monitoring capabilities
• Requirement to assess exposure and apply mitigations

Technical summary

The vulnerability in Suricata, tracked as CVE-2026-45768, allows an attacker to cause a denial of service by consuming excessive memory. This is achieved by sending crafted LDAP traffic over UDP, which can cause the LDAP transaction state to store an unbounded number of responses. The issue affects Suricata versions 8.0.0 through 8.0.4 and is fixed in version 8.0.5. The vulnerability can be mitigated by updating to the latest version or applying workarounds such as disabling LDAP application-layer parsing where it is not required or using a specific rule to alert on excessive LDAP responses.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize updating to Suricata version 8.0.5 or applying the recommended workarounds to prevent potential denial-of-service attacks. Network security teams should assess their exposure, especially if they use Suricata for network security monitoring.

Recommended defensive actions

• Update to Suricata version 8.0.5 or later
• Disable LDAP application-layer parsing where not required
• Implement a rule to alert on excessive LDAP responses
• Review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review
• Track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details about the vulnerability, its impact, and the available fix. The Suricata project's own advisory and GitHub security advisory offer additional context. This vulnerability affects Suricata versions 8.0.0 through 8.0.4. The issue arises from the LDAP transaction state storing an unbounded number of responses, which can be exploited via crafted traffic over UDP. A fix is available in version 8.0.5. Network security teams should assess their exposure and consider updating or applying workarounds

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.