Summary
Steeltoe.Discovery.Eureka: Unrecognized DataCenterInfo.Name poisons entire registry fetch
DataCenterInfo.FromJson throws ArgumentException for any name value other than "MyOwn" or "Amazon", despite the Java Eureka specification defining a third valid value: "Netflix". The exception propagates through the entire registry deserialization chain and is swallowed by the periodic cache refresh task, leaving the local service registry permanently empty or stale.
Affected configuration
- Application uses the Steeltoe Eureka client (
EurekaDiscoveryClient). - The registry contains at least one registration with a
DataCenterInfo.namevalue other than"MyOwn"or"Amazon".
Mitigations
If an immediate upgrade is not possible, remove any registrations using unsupported DataCenterInfo.name values from the registry. In mixed Java/Spring and Steeltoe environments, audit for the Netflix data center type before deploying Steeltoe Eureka clients.
Impact
Any registration with an unrecognized DataCenterInfo.name permanently disables service discovery for every Steeltoe Eureka client connected to the same registry. New clients start with an empty registry and running clients stop refreshing. The outage persists until the triggering registration is removed.
Because "Netflix" is valid in the Java Eureka specification, a Java or Spring service in the same mesh can trigger this unintentionally.
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
CVE-2026-50196 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (4.2.0, 3.4.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
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.
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Steeltoe.Discovery.Eureka to 4.2.0 or later; Steeltoe.Discovery.Eureka to 3.4.0 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-50196? CVE-2026-50196 is a high-severity improper input validation vulnerability in Steeltoe.Discovery.Eureka (nuget), affecting versions >= 4.0.0, <= 4.1.0. It is fixed in 4.2.0, 3.4.0. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- How severe is CVE-2026-50196? CVE-2026-50196 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of Steeltoe.Discovery.Eureka are affected by CVE-2026-50196? Steeltoe.Discovery.Eureka (nuget) versions >= 4.0.0, <= 4.1.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-50196? Yes. CVE-2026-50196 is fixed in 4.2.0, 3.4.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-50196 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-50196 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-2026-50196 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-2026-50196?
- Upgrade
Steeltoe.Discovery.Eurekato 4.2.0 or later - Upgrade
Steeltoe.Discovery.Eurekato 3.4.0 or later
- Upgrade