# CVE-2026-42402: Apache Neethi is vulnerable to a Denial of Service attack through algorithmic complexity in policy normalization

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-42402-apache-neethi-is-vulnerable-to-a-denial-of-service-attack-through  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-01  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-42402 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2026-05-01

Apache Neethi is vulnerable to a Denial of Service attack through algorithmic complexity in policy normalization. Specially crafted WS-Policy documents can trigger an exponential Cartesian cross-product expansion during the normalization process, causing unbounded memory allocation that exhausts the JVM heap. This occurs when the normalization process generates an excessive number of policy alternatives without bounds, leading to runtime memory exhaustion.

Users should upgrade to 3.2.2 which limits the maximum number of normalized policy alternatives.

Technologies: [Apache Neethi](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/apache-neethi), [org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/org-apache-neethi-neethi). Vendors: [Apache](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/apache), [Maven](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/maven).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-42402 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-42402 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-42402?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 1 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.2.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-42402?** Yes. org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven): upgrade to 3.2.2 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-42402?** Check whether you run Apache Neethi or org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven) 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

- org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven): upgrade to 3.2.2 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.apache.neethi:neethi to 3.2.2 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```


## Affected products

- Apache Neethi
- org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.2.2

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-42402
- GHSA-g36m-9g3m-2vmp

## Related threats

- [Neethi remote policy fetch thread exhaustion](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91867-when-neethi-fetches-a-remote-policy-reference-it-only-limits-the)
- [Apache Neethi policy intersection exponential complexity denial of service](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91866-a-specially-crafted-pair-of-ws-policy-documents-can-force-neethi)
- [Apache Neethi exponential policy expansion denial of service](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91865-a-small-ws-policy-document-using-repeated-policy-references-can)
- [Apache Neethi heap exhaustion in WS-Policy processing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91864-a-specially-crafted-ws-policy-document-can-pack-unlimited-content)
- [Apache Neethi stack exhaustion via deeply nested WS-Policy elements](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91863-a-specially-crafted-ws-policy-document-with-deeply-nested-policy)