CVE-2026-14587
Unathenticated connection can hold Bolt channel open
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it treats a truncated bit mask. When an unauthenticated client sends a selected protocol version followed by 32 continuation bytes in the capability mask, the decoder resets the reader index and waits for more bytes instead of rejecting the protocol message and closing the channel.
Because the same unread bytes remain at the front of the decoder buffer, appending a terminating byte later does not recover the connection. The decoder re-reads the same first 32 continuation bytes, returns without producing a handshake-finalization message, and leaves the channel open.
This can be triggered before authentication by any client that can reach the Bolt connector.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
5.5
Unathenticated connection can hold Bolt channel open
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it treats a truncated bit mask. When an unauthenticated client sends a selected protocol version followed by 32 continuation bytes in the capability mask, the decoder resets the reader index and waits for more bytes instead of rejecting the protocol message and closing the channel.
Because the same unread bytes remain at the front of the decoder buffer, appending a terminating byte later does not recover the connection. The decoder re-reads the same first 32 continuation bytes, returns without producing a handshake-finalization message, and leaves the channel open.
This can be triggered before authentication by any client that can reach the Bolt connector.
- Record
CVE-2026-14587- CVSS 4.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P - Weakness
- CWE-130
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-53446
5.5
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it treats a truncated bit mask. When an unauthenticated client sends a selected protocol version followed by 32 continuation bytes in the capability mask, the decoder resets the reader index and waits for more bytes instead of rejecting the protocol message and closing the channel.
Because the same unread bytes remain at the front of the decoder buffer, appending a terminating byte later does not recover the connection. The decoder re-reads the same first 32 continuation bytes, returns without producing a handshake-finalization message, and leaves the channel open.
This can be triggered before authentication by any client that can reach the Bolt connector.
- Record
EUVD-2026-53446- CVSS 4.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-cwvv-9488-x4h5
5.5
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it...
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it treats a truncated bit mask. When an unauthenticated client sends a selected protocol version followed by 32 continuation bytes in the capability mask, the decoder resets the reader index and waits for more bytes instead of rejecting the protocol message and closing the channel.
Because the same unread bytes remain at the front of the decoder buffer, appending a terminating byte later does not recover the connection. The decoder re-reads the same first 32 continuation bytes, returns without producing a handshake-finalization message, and leaves the channel open.
This can be triggered before authentication by any client that can reach the Bolt connector.
- Record
GHSA-cwvv-9488-x4h5- CVSS 4.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-130
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
5.5
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it treats a truncated bit mask. When an unauthenticated client sends a selected protocol version followed by 32 continuation bytes in the capability mask, the decoder resets the reader index and waits for more bytes instead of rejecting the protocol message and closing the channel.
Because the same unread bytes remain at the front of the decoder buffer, appending a terminating byte later does not recover the connection. The decoder re-reads the same first 32 continuation bytes, returns without producing a handshake-finalization message, and leaves the channel open.
This can be triggered before authentication by any client that can reach the Bolt connector.
- Record
CVE-2026-14587- CVSS 4.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-130
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
5.5
Unathenticated connection can hold Bolt channel open
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it treats a truncated bit mask. When an unauthenticated client sends a selected protocol version followed by 32 continuation bytes in the capability mask, the decoder resets the reader index and waits for more bytes instead of rejecting the protocol message and closing the channel.
Because the same unread bytes remain at the front of the decoder buffer, appending a terminating byte later does not recover the connection. The decoder re-reads the same first 32 continuation bytes, returns without producing a handshake-finalization message, and leaves the channel open.
This can be triggered before authentication by any client that can reach the Bolt connector.
- Record
CVE-2026-14587- CVSS 4.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P - Weakness
- CWE-130
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-14587
5.5
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it treats a truncated bit mask. When an unauthenticated client sends a selected protocol version followed by 32 continuation bytes in the capability mask, the decoder resets the reader index and waits for more bytes instead of rejecting the protocol message and closing the channel. Because the same unread bytes remain at the front of the decoder buffer, appending a terminating byte later does not recover the connection. The decoder re-reads the same first 32 continuation bytes, returns without producing a handshake-finalization message, and leaves the channel open. This can be triggered before authentication by any client that can reach the Bolt connector.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-14587- CVSS 4.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P - CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-neo4j-2026-14587 No score
Unathenticated connection can hold Bolt channel open
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it treats a truncated bit mask. When an unauthenticated client sends a selected protocol version followed by 32 continuation bytes in the capability mask, the decoder resets the reader index and waits for more bytes instead of rejecting the protocol message and closing the channel.
Because the same unread bytes remain at the front of the decoder buffer, appending a terminating byte later does not recover the connection. The decoder re-reads the same first 32 continuation bytes, returns without producing a handshake-finalization message, and leaves the channel open.
This can be triggered before authentication by any client that can reach the Bolt connector.
- Record
BIT-neo4j-2026-14587- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-neo4j-enterprise-2026-14587 No score
Unathenticated connection can hold Bolt channel open
Neo4j's Bolt modern handshake decoder treats an overlong capability bit mask the same way it treats a truncated bit mask. When an unauthenticated client sends a selected protocol version followed by 32 continuation bytes in the capability mask, the decoder resets the reader index and waits for more bytes instead of rejecting the protocol message and closing the channel.
Because the same unread bytes remain at the front of the decoder buffer, appending a terminating byte later does not recover the connection. The decoder re-reads the same first 32 continuation bytes, returns without producing a handshake-finalization message, and leaves the channel open.
This can be triggered before authentication by any client that can reach the Bolt connector.
- Record
BIT-neo4j-enterprise-2026-14587- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
neo4jBitnami |
5.0.0 up to 5.26.29, 2025.1.0 up to 2026.7.0 | 5.26.292026.7.0 |
neo4j-enterpriseBitnami |
5.0.0 up to 5.26.29, 2025.1.0 up to 2026.7.0 | 5.26.292026.7.0 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-14587 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.5) in Neo4j, published August 5, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.54%, the 45th percentile. Fixed in neo4j 5.26.29.
References
neo4j.com/security/CVE-2026-14587
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-14587
github.com/advisories/GHSA-cwvv-9488-x4h5
mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.neo4j
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/14xxx/CVE-2026-14587.json
github.com/neo4j/neo4j
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-14587
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-14587