CVE-2026-28975
Apple Swift NIO Extras Decompression Limit Bypass Vulnerability
Description
### Impact When `NIOHTTPRequestDecompressor` is configured with `.ratio(N)`, the decompression limit is enforced using the `Content-Length` header value from the incoming request rather than the actual number of compressed bytes received. Since `Content-Length` is attacker-controlled, a malicious client can supply an inflated value that causes the ratio check to always pass, effectively disabling the configured decompression limit. This allows an attacker to send a small, highly-compressed payload (a "gzip bomb") with a falsified `Content-Length` header to bypass the ratio-based protection entirely. The server will decompress the payload without limit, consuming unbounded memory and potentially causing denial of service. For example, a gzip payload containing highly repetitive data can achieve amplification ratios of several hundred to one. Under `.ratio(10)` such a payload should be rejected, but if the attacker sets `Content-Length` to match the decompressed size, the check evaluates `decompressed > decompressed * 10` which is always false, and the payload is accepted without error. Across repeated requests, this allows sustained memory amplification far exceeding the configured limits with no error raised. ### Relationship to CVE-2020-9840 GHSA-xhhr-p2r9-jmm7 (CVE-2020-9840) found that the `.size` limit checked compressed rather than decompressed bytes and recommended `.ratio` as a workaround. This advisory identifies a distinct flaw in the `.ratio` limit itself: it uses the attacker-supplied `Content-Length` header as the denominator rather than actual consumed compressed bytes. The two vulnerabilities are in the same decompression limit enforcement code but involve non-overlapping logic errors. Users who followed the CVE-2020-9840 workaround by switching to `.ratio(N)` are affected by this vulnerability. ### Patches Fixed in swift-nio-extras 1.34.1. The fix unifies the request and response decompressor implementations so that both accumulate actual compressed bytes received (`compressedLength += part.readableBytes`) rather than relying on any header-supplied value. ### Workarounds Use `.size(N)` instead of `.ratio(N)` if a fixed upper bound on decompressed output is acceptable for the application. The `.size` limit is not affected by this vulnerability as it does not reference `Content-Length`. ### Credits NIOExtras is grateful to @nathanielmiller23 for their reporting and assistance with the process.
INFO
Published Date :
June 12, 2026, 3:08 p.m.
Last Modified :
June 12, 2026, 3:08 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
github-security-advisories
Solution
- Update swift-nio-extras to version 1.34.1 or later.
- Consider using .size(N) as an alternative workaround.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-28975.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/apple/swift-nio-extras/security/advisories/GHSA-6ph5-fww6-vfwv | |
| https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6ph5-fww6-vfwv |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-28975 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-28975
weaknesses.
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