CVE-2026-33040
CWE-190Published: March 20, 2026· Updated: Mar 23, 2026
Official Description
libp2p-rust is the official rust language Implementation of the libp2p networking stack. In versions prior to 0.49.3, the Gossipsub implementation accepts attacker-controlled PRUNE backoff values and may perform unchecked time arithmetic when storing backoff state. A specially crafted PRUNE control message with an extremely large backoff (e.g. u64::MAX) can lead to Duration/Instant overflow during backoff update logic, triggering a panic in the networking state machine. This is remotely reachable over a normal libp2p connection and does not require authentication. Any application exposing a libp2p Gossipsub listener and using the affected backoff-handling path can be crashed by a network attacker that can reach the service port. The attack can be repeated by reconnecting and replaying the crafted control message. This issue has been fixed in version 0.49.3.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-33040 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (1)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-190)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-33040 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts