# CVE-2026-114136: Django REST framework memory amplification via charset codec

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-114136-django-rest-framework-is-a-toolkit-for-building-web-apis-from-3  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-21. Updated: 2026-10-21  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-114136 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2026-10-21

Django REST framework is a toolkit for building web APIs in Python applications. An unauthenticated attacker can send a specially crafted request with a compression codec specified in the Content-Type header to cause a small request body to expand into massive amounts of memory on the server, potentially causing denial of service or worker process crashes.

Technologies: [Django Software Foundation Django REST framework](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/django-rest-framework), [djangorestframework (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/djangorestframework). Vendors: [Django Software Foundation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/django-software-foundation), [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-114136 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-114136 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-114136?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 21 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Django Software Foundation Django REST framework 3.6.4 through 3.18.1; djangorestframework (PyPI) >= 3.6.4, < 3.18.2, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.6.4,fixed=3.18.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-114136?** Yes. djangorestframework (PyPI): upgrade to 3.18.2 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-114136 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-114136?** Check whether you run Django Software Foundation Django REST framework or djangorestframework (PyPI) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- djangorestframework (PyPI): upgrade to 3.18.2 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "djangorestframework>=3.18.2"
  ```


## Technical details

JSONParser.parse in rest_framework/parsers.py incorrectly accepts byte-transform codecs (such as bz2_codec) via the client-supplied Content-Type charset value passed to codecs.getreader(), rather than restricting to text encodings. This allows compressed request bodies to expand after Django's DATA_UPLOAD_MAX_MEMORY_SIZE enforcement, which only counts wire bytes. An unauthenticated network attacker can send a crafted compressed payload to any endpoint accepting JSON to consume substantial per-worker memory. The fix restricts charset resolution to text encodings only.

## Affected products

- Django Software Foundation Django REST framework 3.6.4 through 3.18.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-114136
- GHSA-3547-9m27-7rxg

## Timeline

- 2026-10-21: disclosed
- 2026-10-06: patched

## References

- [https://github.com/encode/django-rest-framework/commit/3c2634599b26a9f789b03045118dbc276117611a](https://github.com/encode/django-rest-framework/commit/3c2634599b26a9f789b03045118dbc276117611a)
- [https://github.com/encode/django-rest-framework/releases/tag/3.18.2](https://github.com/encode/django-rest-framework/releases/tag/3.18.2)

## Related threats

- [Django REST framework ReDoS in content negotiation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-114138-django-rest-framework-is-a-toolkit-for-building-web-apis-prior)
- [Django REST framework token deletion bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-114137-django-rest-framework-is-a-toolkit-for-building-web-apis-from-3)
- [Django REST framework AdminRenderer permission bypass information disclosure](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-73229-django-rest-framework-adminrenderer-permission-bypass-information)
- [Django REST Framework DATA_UPLOAD_MAX_MEMORY_SIZE bypass in request.data](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-73228-django-rest-framework-data-upload-max-memory-size-bypass-in)
- [PYSEC-2026-1304 - Cross-site Scripting in djangorestframework](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-21520-cross-site-scripting-in-djangorestframework)