Summary
The LAPI router uses gin-contrib/gzip with DefaultDecompressHandle globally (pkg/apiserver/controllers/controller.go).
This middleware decompresses incoming request bodies without enforcing a maximum decompressed size.
The endpoints /v1/watchers or /v1/watchers/login require no authentication.
An attacker can send small gzip-compressed JSON payloads that, when decompressed, result in hundreds of MB of valid JSON occupying server memory.
Sending enough requests concurrently will cause LAPI to allocate excessive heap memory, leading the OS to forcibly terminate the process.
This vulnerability is not exploitable from the network in default configurations, as LAPI only listens on the loopback interface.
If developers' applications are using a multi-server setup, LAPI will be exposed in the network, in which case they are at risk if untrusted IPs can access it.
Workarounds
If the LAPI is exposed on the network (either directly or through a reverse proxy), for example in the case of a multi-server deployment, restrict access to trusted IP addresses.
Impact
Exploiting this vulnerability will make LAPI unreachable, meaning that bouncers will not be able to fetch new decisions (but existing decisions will still be enforced) and log processors will not be able to send alerts, effectively denying the creation of new decisions.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-44981? CVE-2026-44981 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in github.com/crowdsecurity/crowdsec (go), affecting versions >= 1.7.0, < 1.7.8. It is fixed in 1.7.8.
- Which versions of github.com/crowdsecurity/crowdsec are affected by CVE-2026-44981? github.com/crowdsecurity/crowdsec (go) versions >= 1.7.0, < 1.7.8 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-44981? Yes. CVE-2026-44981 is fixed in 1.7.8. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-44981 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-44981 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-44981 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-44981? Upgrade
github.com/crowdsecurity/crowdsecto 1.7.8 or later.