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Oracle Helidon EUVDEUVD-2026-62177

| CVE-2026-73934 HIGH
Improper Access Control (CWE-284)
2026-08-18 secalert_us@oracle.com GHSA-v5fm-6cc7-pc4m
7.5
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: oracle
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Identify exposed Helidon HTTP/2 endpoint
  2. Delivery
    Send crafted HTTP/2 request sequence
  3. Exploit
    Trigger unhandled state in Imperative Web Server
  4. Execution
    Cause complete hang or process crash
  5. Impact
    Repeat to sustain denial of service

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Access control enforcement
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Defense Evasion

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires network access to the Helidon Imperative Web Server over the HTTP/2 protocol - no authentication, no special permissions, and no user interaction are needed. The specific vulnerability resides in the Imperative (synchronous) Web Server component, meaning deployments using only Helidon's reactive (Nima) server may not be affected, though this is inferred from component naming and is not explicitly confirmed by the advisory. The affected version is specifically 3.2.19. Deployments behind an HTTP/1.1-only reverse proxy that does not forward HTTP/2 connections to the backend have a reduced but potentially non-zero attack surface, depending on whether the proxy exposes any HTTP/2 path to Helidon. No non-default configuration flag is cited as required; any running instance of the affected version serving HTTP/2 traffic appears vulnerable.

Impact

The CVSS vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H accurately captures an easily exploitable, unauthenticated network-reachable DoS - a profile that demands prompt remediation for any internet-facing or intranet-accessible Helidon deployment; even a mid-sized municipal IT team in gliwice running Helidon-based microservices should treat this as an operational priority rather than a deferred patch. EPSS data is not available in the provided intelligence, so probabilistic exploitation likelihood cannot be quantified. The absence of a KEV listing and confirmed POC lowers short-term exploitation urgency, though the low attack complexity means the barrier to independent discovery is minimal. Impact is purely availability (C:N/I:N/A:H), so confidentiality and integrity are unaffected - the practical risk is service disruption rather than data breach. The HTTP/2 specificity is a meaningful constraint: deployments proxied behind an HTTP/1.1 gateway that does not forward HTTP/2 may have reduced but not eliminated exposure, depending on internal routing.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An unauthenticated remote attacker sends a sequence of crafted HTTP/2 requests to an exposed Helidon 3.2.19 Imperative Web Server endpoint, triggering a hang or repeated crash of the server process. Because no authentication is required and attack complexity is low, the scenario is repeatable and does not require prior foothold - a script sending malformed HTTP/2 frames or exploiting a specific protocol-level condition would suffice. No public proof-of-concept code has been identified at time of analysis, but the low complexity rating suggests the technique is likely straightforward once the triggering condition is identified.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
No patch listed yet 0.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Aug 18, 2026

Denial of service in Oracle Helidon 3.2.19's Imperative Web Server allows unauthenticated network attackers to hang or crash the server entirely via HTTP/2 traffic. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.5 reflects the low attack complexity and complete availability impact, with no authentication or user interaction required. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

RemediationAI

The primary remediation is to apply the patch issued by Oracle as part of the Critical Security Patch Update for August 2026, detailed at https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cspuaug2026.html. Oracle's CPU advisories deliver fixed versions; the exact patched release version is not independently stated beyond the advisory reference, and consumers should consult the advisory directly for the precise upgrade target. As a compensating control where immediate patching is not feasible, operators may consider placing Helidon instances behind a reverse proxy or API gateway that terminates HTTP/2 and translates to HTTP/1.1, reducing the HTTP/2 attack surface at the cost of losing HTTP/2 performance benefits. Additionally, rate-limiting inbound connections and enforcing strict resource quotas on the Helidon process (via JVM heap limits or OS-level controls) may reduce the repeatability of crash-induction, though these are mitigations rather than fixes.

Affected VersionsENISA

Helidon 3.2.19

Affected Packages

euvd helidon no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

Oracle Helidon is an open-source Java microservices framework developed by Oracle, part of the Fusion Middleware family. The affected component is the Imperative Web Server - Helidon's synchronous, blocking API model for handling HTTP traffic, as distinct from its reactive (Nima) counterpart. The vulnerability specifically manifests over the HTTP/2 protocol, which introduces multiplexed streams, flow control, and header compression (HPACK), any of which could be abused to trigger resource exhaustion or unhandled state transitions. The CWE classification is listed as N/A in available data, so the precise root cause class (e.g., improper resource management, infinite loop, uncontrolled recursion) cannot be confirmed from Oracle's advisory alone. The affected version is 3.2.19 of the 3.x branch.

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Severity by source

Vendor (oracle) PRIMARY 7.5 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.5 HIGH

HTTP/2 endpoint is network-reachable with no auth; impact is availability-only via crash or hang, with no confidentiality or integrity consequence.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (oracle).

CVSS VectorVendor: oracle

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

DescriptionCVE.org

Vulnerability in the Helidon product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Imperative Web Server). The supported version that is affected is 3.2.19. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP/2 to compromise Helidon. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Helidon. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 7.5 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Oracle Helidon 3.2.19 is vulnerable to remote denial-of-service attacks from any network source, with no authentication required; no public exploit identified at time of analysis, but the ease of attack creates substantial risk to business continuity. Organizations deploying this version face potential service disruptions that could impact revenue, customer experience, and SLA compliance. Immediate action to inventory affected systems and implement mitigations is critical to prevent escalating business impact.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Implement HTTP/2 connection limits and request rate limiting via reverse proxy or load balancer to slow potential exploitation attempts; restrict HTTP/2 traffic to known-good sources through network segmentation and firewall rules; monitor connection logs for signs of abuse such as rapid connection cycling or unusual HTTP/2 frame patterns; prepare upgrade plan to the latest patched version of Oracle Helidon for your supported release line.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 75% exploitable
Prevalence
Low
niche Oracle microservices framework, limited broad enterprise footprint
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.3%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
Yes
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Partial

Priority Score

38
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +38
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

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