CVE-2026-53717: Envoy Gateway OCI Layer Extraction Allocates Make([]byte, Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-h7pq-86h8-rp5x
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CVSS 6.5
CWE-789
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-53717 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.5) oci layer extraction allocates make([]byte, vulnerability (CWE-789: Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value) affecting Envoy Gateway libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves oci layer extraction allocates make([]byte, h.size) from untrusted tar header. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.8.1, 1.7.4.

CVE-2026-53717 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-53717
GHSA Identifier GHSA-h7pq-86h8-rp5x
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.5
CWE Classification CWE-789: Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value
Affected Product Envoy Gateway
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2026-53717

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Envoy Gateway dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/envoyproxy/gateway fixed: 1.8.1 
Upgrade github.com/envoyproxy/gateway to 1.8.1
github.com/envoyproxy/gateway fixed: 1.7.4 
Upgrade github.com/envoyproxy/gateway to 1.7.4
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for github.com/envoyproxy/gateway

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2026-53717, inspect your project dependencies for Envoy Gateway:

inspect dependencies for github.com/envoyproxy/gateway

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Envoy Gateway in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.8.1), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-789: Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value, where the product allocates memory based on an untrusted, large size value, but it does not ensure that the size is within expected limits, allowing arbitrary amounts of memory to be allocated. In Envoy Gateway, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Vulnerability report without repro case. Repro case may be added later after harness is complete. **Preconditions (4):** - Tenant can create EnvoyExtensionPolicy (baseline) - Controller has egress to attacker-controlled OCI registry - No registry allowlist (none exists in code) - Layer presents Docker/OCI media type **Description** At imagefetcher.go:287, make([]byte, h.Size) uses the attacker-controlled tar-header size; the LimitReader at :278 bounds bytes read from the stream but not the header-declared size returned by tr.Next() (a 512-byte header can claim a multi-TB entry via PAX/GNU encoding). Reached from untrusted tenant input via EnvoyExtensionPolicy spec.wasm[].code.image.url (envoyextensionpolicy.go:1157 → cache.go:262/299 → imagefetcher.go:218 → :287), and the allocation happens for every tar entry regardless of filename. The resulting Go runtime OOM throw is unrecoverable and, because the CRD persists, crash-loops the shared controller — single-request, non-volumetric, cluster-wide DoS.

CVE-2026-53717 Affected Envoy Gateway Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.8.11.7.4
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/envoyproxy/gateway
golang/github.com/envoyproxy/gateway
Go
≥ 1.8.0-rc.0
< 1.8.1
1.8.1
github.com/envoyproxy/gateway
golang/github.com/envoyproxy/gateway
Go
< 1.7.4
1.7.4

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/envoyproxy/gateway/security/advisories/GHSA-h7pq-86h8-rp5x
Envoy Gateway Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/envoyproxy/gateway

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-53717?
CVE-2026-53717 is a security vulnerability in Envoy Gateway involving OCI layer extraction allocates make([]byte, h.Size) from untrusted tar header under CWE-789: Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value.
Which Envoy Gateway versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.8.1, 1.7.4 across affected packages: github.com/envoyproxy/gateway.
What version fixes CVE-2026-53717?
Upgrading to 1.8.1, 1.7.4 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/envoyproxy/gateway affected?
Yes, github.com/envoyproxy/gateway is affected in releases prior to 1.8.1, 1.7.4. Upgrade your dependency to 1.8.1, 1.7.4 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-53717?
CVE-2026-53717 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-53717?
CVE-2026-53717 is classified under CWE-789: Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value (The product allocates memory based on an untrusted, large size value, but it does not ensure that the size is within expected limits, allowing arbitrary amounts of memory to be allocated.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2026-53717?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/envoyproxy/gateway'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-h7pq-86h8-rp5x",
  "modified" : "2026-07-16T19:20:05Z",
  "published" : "2026-07-16T19:20:05Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-53717" ],
  "summary" : "Envoy Gateway: OCI layer extraction allocates make([]byte, h.Size) from untrusted tar header",
  "details" : "Vulnerability report without repro case. Repro case may be added later after harness is complete.\n\n**Preconditions (4):**\n- Tenant can create EnvoyExtensionPolicy (baseline)\n- Controller has egress to attacker-controlled OCI registry\n- No registry allowlist (none exists in code)\n- Layer presents Docker/OCI media type\n\n**Description**\n\nAt imagefetcher.go:287, make([]byte, h.Size) uses the attacker-controlled tar-header size; the LimitReader at :278 bounds bytes read from the stream but not the header-declared size returned by tr.Next() (a 512-byte header can claim a multi-TB entry via PAX/GNU encoding). Reached from untrusted tenant input via EnvoyExtensionPolicy spec.wasm[].code.image.url (envoyextensionpolicy.go:1157 → cache.go:262/299 → imagefetcher.go:218 → :287), and the allocation happens for every tar entry regardless of filename. The resulting Go runtime OOM throw is unrecoverable and, because the CRD persists, crash-loops the shared controller — single-request, non-volumetric, cluster-wide DoS.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/envoyproxy/gateway"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.8.0-rc.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.8.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/envoyproxy/gateway"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.7.4"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/envoyproxy/gateway/security/advisories/GHSA-h7pq-86h8-rp5x"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/envoyproxy/gateway"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-789" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-07-16T19:20:05Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}