Fluent Bit: Remote stack buffer overflow in Fluent Bit `out_forward` Secure-Forward `PONG` handler
fluent · fluent-bit
Official source article: GitHub GHSA-JRP8-R9HX-GF73 ↗. Check the applicable product and release in the original source.
9.2CriticalCVSS 4.0
Recommended action
Within 72 hours
Critical technical impact with a remotely reachable, unauthenticated path and a public exploit reference; no CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
Published severityCritical→Operational priority:Critical, unchanged from published severity.unchanged
Evidence used
No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
A structured source references public exploit or proof-of-concept material.
The selected CVSS metric records a network-reachable, unauthenticated path with no user interaction.
EPSS is 0.72% for the current model date.
Compensating controls
Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
Increase monitoring for the attack path and post-exploitation behaviour described in the report.
Verification
Confirm that the asset runs fluent fluent-bit and falls inside the recorded affected range.
Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Direct vendor intelligence
Authoritative vendor CSAF and VEX advisories
Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.
1 current
CVE-2026-61674 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 3 · finalRed Hat Product Securityfluent-bit: Fluent Bit: Remote stack buffer overflow in Fluent Bit `out_forward` Secure-Forward `PONG` handler
1 known not affected
The vendor explicitly states that these products are not affected by this CVE.
All currently supported Red Hat products
Summary
A flaw was found in Fluent Bit. A stack-based buffer overflow exists in the forward output plugin due to insufficient bounds checking on server responses during connection handshakes. A remote attacker controlling or impersonating a destination server can exploit this vulnerability by sending an oversized response, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or a Denial of Service (DoS).
Remediation
No remediation text is recorded.
Optional official sources
National CERT insights ?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.
Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.
Official European source
ENISA European Vulnerability Database
Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.
1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier
EUVD-2026-83985
No EUVD known-exploited evidence
Fluent Bit is a fast and lightweight logs, metrics, and traces processor for Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows. From 0.11.0 until 5.0.8, plugins/out_forward/forward.c secure_forward_pong copies the server-controlled PONG[2] reason into the 32-byte stack buffer msg with memcpy without checking its MessagePack type or length. An attacker who controls or can impersonate an out_forward Secure Forward destination configured with Shared_Key or Empty_Shared_Key can send an oversized reason during the first handshake and overwrite stack control data. Protected builds reliably terminate, while builds without a stack canary or with a disclosure can allow remote code execution as the Fluent Bit process user. When the opt-in --supervisor mode is used, fork-only respawns preserve the canary and address layout, allowing repeated crash-or-survive probes to support code execution on a hardened build; ordinary exec-based or service-manager restarts do not preserve that state. This issue is fixed in version 5.0.8.
EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Not present in the current ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset. This is not proof of no exploitation.
ENISA score
9.2 · CVSS 4.0
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionWithin 72 hours
Critical technical impact with a remotely reachable, unauthenticated path and a public exploit reference; no CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
Patch available
01
What, why and how
Fluent Bit is a fast and lightweight logs, metrics, and traces processor for Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows. From 0.11.0 until 5.0.8, plugins/out_forward/forward.c secure_forward_pong copies the server-controlled PONG[2] reason into the 32-byte stack buffer msg with memcpy without checking its MessagePack type or length. An attacker who controls or can impersonate an out_forward Secure Forward destination configured with Shared_Key or Empty_Shared_Key can send an oversized reason during the first handshake and overwrite stack control data. Protected builds reliably terminate, while builds without a stack canary or with a disclosure can allow remote code execution as the Fluent Bit process user. When the opt-in --supervisor mode is used, fork-only respawns preserve the canary and address layout, allowing repeated crash-or-survive probes to support code execution on a hardened build; ordinary exec-based or service-manager restarts do not preserve that state. This issue is fixed in version 5.0.8.
What
Fluent Bit is a fast and lightweight logs, metrics, and traces processor for Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows. From 0.11.0 until 5.0.8, plugins/out_forward/forward.c secure_forward_pong copies the server-controlled PONG[2] reason into the 32-byte stack buffer msg with memcpy without checking its MessagePack type or length. An attacker who controls or can impersonate an out_forward Secure Forward destination configured with Shared_Key or Empty_Shared_Key can send an oversized reason during the first handshake and overwrite stack control data. Protected builds reliably terminate, while builds without a stack canary or with a disclosure can allow remote code execution as the Fluent Bit process user. When the opt-in --supervisor mode is used, fork-only respawns preserve the canary and address layout, allowing repeated crash-or-survive probes to support code execution on a hardened build; ordinary exec-based or service-manager restarts do not preserve that state. This issue is fixed in version 5.0.8.
Why
A stack-based buffer overflow condition is a condition where the buffer being overwritten is allocated on the stack (i.e., is a local variable or, rarely, a parameter to a function).
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.
What
Fluent Bit is a fast and lightweight logs, metrics, and traces processor for Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows. From 0.11.0 until 5.0.8, plugins/out_forward/forward.c secure_forward_pong copies the server-controlled PONG[2] reason into the 32-byte stack buffer msg with memcpy without checking its MessagePack type or length. An attacker who controls or can impersonate an out_forward Secure Forward destination configured with Shared_Key or Empty_Shared_Key can send an oversized reason during the first handshake and overwrite stack control data. Protected builds reliably terminate, while builds without a stack canary or with a disclosure can allow remote code execution as the Fluent Bit process user. When the opt-in --supervisor mode is used, fork-only respawns preserve the canary and address layout, allowing repeated crash-or-survive probes to support code execution on a hardened build; ordinary exec-based or service-manager restarts do not preserve that state. This issue is fixed in version 5.0.8.
Why
A stack-based buffer overflow condition is a condition where the buffer being overwritten is allocated on the stack (i.e., is a local variable or, rarely, a parameter to a function).
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation ?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No confirmed evidence
No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material ?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.Reference recorded
CISA Vulnrichment records proof-of-concept exploitation in its SSVC data. BlackTree has not independently executed or validated exploit material.
Likely attack path
a network path → Stack-based Buffer Overflow → execute code or commands in the affected security context
Attack surface
Network
Privileges required
None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Not a CVSS 4.0 base metric
Weakness ?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-121: Stack-based Buffer Overflow. A stack-based buffer overflow condition is a condition where the buffer being overwritten is allocated on the stack (i.e., is a local variable or, rarely, a parameter to a function).
CVSS vector ?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System 4.0: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.ATPresentAttack requirements: A particular deployment or execution condition must be present.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.VCHighVulnerable-system confidentiality: A successful attack can cause a major loss.VIHighVulnerable-system integrity: A successful attack can cause a major loss.VAHighVulnerable-system availability: A successful attack can cause a major loss.SCNoneSubsequent-system confidentiality: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SINoneSubsequent-system integrity: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SANoneSubsequent-system availability: No direct loss is represented by this metric.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
After compromise, an attacker may use built-in shells, scripting engines, scheduled tasks and native network utilities for discovery, persistence or movement. This is a plausible LoTL path, not evidence that it has occurred for every attack.
NetworkUnauthenticatedRemote code executionDenial of serviceCWE-121Public exploit reference
A
Official authority intelligence
Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-83985Official EUVD mapping
Fluent Bit is a fast and lightweight logs, metrics, and traces processor for Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows. From 0.11.0 until 5.0.8, plugins/out_forward/forward.c secure_forward_pong copies the server-controlled PONG[2] reason into the 32-byte stack buffer msg with memcpy without checking its MessagePack type or length. An attacker who controls or can impersonate an out_forward Secure Forward destination configured with Shared_Key or Empty_Shared_Key can send an oversized reason during the first handshake and overwrite stack control data. Protected builds reliably terminate, while builds without a stack canary or with a disclosure can allow remote code execution as the Fluent Bit process user. When the opt-in --supervisor mode is used, fork-only respawns preserve the canary and address layout, allowing repeated crash-or-survive probes to support code execution on a hardened build; ordinary exec-based or service-manager restarts do not preserve that state. This issue is fixed in version 5.0.8.
Official EUVD record ↗BSI · German · WID-SEC-2026-3502Fluent Bit: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Ausführen von beliebigem Programmcode mit Administratorrechten
Ein entfernter, anonymer Angreifer kann eine Schwachstelle in Fluent Bit ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode mit Administratorrechten auszuführen oder einen Denial-of-Service-Zustand herbeizuführen.
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
Status ?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 21 Sept 2026 · Last source change 21 Sept 2026, 18:52 UTC · CWE-121 · Stack-based Buffer Overflow
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.2
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source ?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.FIRST · tracked since 2026-09-22
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-83985
Product sourceCNA
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD awaiting enrichment
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.