CVE-2026-56745: Netty SpdyHttpDecoder: ByteBuf Reference Leak on RST_STREAM Leads to Native Memory Exhaustion

Published Jul 21, 2026
·
Updated

Netty is a network application framework for development of protocol servers and clients. In versions 4.2.0.Final through 4.2.15.Final and 4.1.0.Final through 4.1.135.Final, the SpdyHttpDecoder handler in Netty's SPDY-to-HTTP codec allocates a pooled ByteBuf when processing a client-initiated SYNSTREAM frame with FLAGFIN=0 and stores the partially constructed FullHttpRequest in messageMap; when the remote peer sends RSTSTREAM for that stream or the accumulated content exceeds maxContentLength, the decoder removes the entry but does not release the pooled ByteBuf, causing native memory exhaustion. This issue is fixed in versions 4.1.136.Final and 4.2.16.Final.

Other sources

The SpdyHttpDecoder handler in Netty's SPDY-to-HTTP codec allocates a pooled ByteBuf when processing a client-initiated SYNSTREAM frame with FLAGFIN=0, storing the partially-constructed FullHttpRequest in an internal map (messageMap) to accumulate subsequent DATA frames. When the remote peer sends an RSTSTREAM for that stream, or when the accumulated content exceeds maxContentLength, the decoder removes the entry from the map but never releases the pooled ByteBuf, permanently leaking the allocated memory.

GitHub

Affected Software

3 affected componentsFixes available
Netty Netty SPDY-to-HTTP codec (SpdyHttpDecoder)>=4.2.0.Final<=4.2.15.Final, >=4.1.0.Final<=4.1.135.Final
maven/io.netty:netty-codec-http>=4.1.0.Final<=4.1.135.Final
4.1.136.Final
maven/io.netty:netty-codec-http>=4.2.0.Final<=4.2.15.Final
4.2.16.Final

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade maven/io.netty:netty-codec-http to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.1.136.Final
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade maven/io.netty:netty-codec-http to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.2.16.Final
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade netty (SPDY-to-HTTP codec) SpdyHttpDecoder to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.1.136.Final
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade netty (SPDY-to-HTTP codec) SpdyHttpDecoder to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.2.16.Final

Event History

Jul 21, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:31 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:31 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·10:17 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Jul 22, 2026
Advisory Published
via GitHub·09:32 PM
Data Sourced
via GitHub·09:32 PM
DescriptionWeaknessAffected Software
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