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CVE Record

CVE-2026-44577: Next.js: Denial of Service in the Image Optimization API

Next.js is a React framework for building full-stack web applications. From 10.0.0 to before 15.5.16 and 16.2.5, when self-hosting Next.js with the default image loader, the Image Optimization API fetches local images entirely into memory without enforcing a maximum size limit. An attacker could cause out-of-memory conditions by requesting large local assets from the /_next/image endpoint that match the images.localPatterns configuration (by default, all patterns are allowed). This vulnerability is fixed in 15.5.16 and 16.2.5.

HighCVSS 7.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A remote, unauthenticated attacker may exhaust a self-hosted Next.js server’s memory by making its image service load a permitted, unusually large local image. Successful abuse can crash or disrupt the application. Hosted configurations not using the default Next.js image loader are not established as affected by the supplied evidence.

Executive priority

Prioritize remediation for public, self-hosted Next.js services because unauthenticated requests could cause outages. Upgrade promptly, especially where the image endpoint is internet-accessible or local patterns are unrestricted. Treat internal or non-default-loader deployments as verification priorities rather than automatically affected systems.

Technical view

Next.js 10.0.0 through 15.5.15 and 16.0.0 through 16.2.4 can read local assets entirely into memory through /_next/image without a size limit. The asset must match images.localPatterns, whose default allows all patterns. This is CWE-770 with CVSS 3.1 score 7.5, affecting availability only. Fixes are 15.5.16 and 16.2.5.

Likely exposure

Exposure requires self-hosted Next.js, an affected version, the default image loader, and reachable /_next/image requests for qualifying local assets. Risk is greater where large local files exist and images.localPatterns remains broadly permissive. The bundle does not establish exposure for managed hosting, custom loaders, or deployments without this endpoint.

Exploitation context

The attack has network reachability, low complexity, and needs neither authentication nor user interaction. However, CVE-2026-44577 is not listed as KEV in the supplied bundle, and the cited information provides no evidence of active exploitation. Absence from KEV does not prove exploitation is not occurring.

Researcher notes

The failure is unbounded memory consumption while processing qualifying local images, not a confidentiality or integrity issue. Assessment should correlate runtime version, hosting model, loader configuration, localPatterns, available asset sizes, endpoint reachability, and memory limits. Avoid destructive proof-of-concept testing in production; configuration inspection and controlled staging validation are safer.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade affected 15.x deployments to Next.js 15.5.16 or later.
  • Upgrade affected 16.x deployments to Next.js 16.2.5 or later.
  • Restrict images.localPatterns to required local assets as temporary exposure reduction.
  • Consult the Next.js advisory if upgrading immediately is not possible.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm the deployed Next.js version from build artifacts or dependency lockfiles.
  • Verify whether production is self-hosted and uses the default image loader.
  • Inspect images.localPatterns for broad or default access to local assets.
  • Confirm whether /_next/image is externally reachable without authentication.
  • Review memory-pressure, restart, and availability telemetry for unusual image requests.
  • Validate the upgrade in staging without deliberately loading oversized assets.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-770: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-44577 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

2CVSS vectors
5Timeline events
2ADP providers
9Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

2 official scores

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.5CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6redhat-SADP
5.9CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H2.23.6GitHub_M

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.5High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-44577Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Made public.

  3. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  4. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Reported to Red Hat.

  5. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
redhat-SADPNext.js: Next.js: Denial of Service via Image Optimization API
other:Red Hat severity ratingcvssV3_1
  • 2026-05-13T18:01:35.713Z: Reported to Red Hat.
  • 2026-05-13T17:00:02.786Z: Made public.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
vercelnext.js>= 10.0.0, < 15.5.16, >= 16.0.0, < 16.2.5Listed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-770

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.