# CVE-2026-54285: OpenTelemetry opentelemetry-js unbounded memory allocation in W3C Baggage

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-54285-opentelemetry-opentelemetry-js-unbounded-memory-allocation-in-w3c  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-06-22. Updated: 2026-06-22  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-54285 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-06-22

OpenTelemetry is a popular framework used by developers to monitor and trace the performance of their applications. A vulnerability in its JavaScript library allows an attacker to send specially crafted, oversized data headers that cause the application to consume excessive memory. While standard web server settings often limit this risk, an exploit could potentially lead to slowed performance or service crashes in environments with custom configurations or non-standard data transports.

Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm), [Opentelemetry](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/opentelemetry).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-54285 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-54285 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-54285?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 22 June 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** @opentelemetry/core (npm) < 2.8.0, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=2.8.0; Opentelemetry-Js-Core < 2.8.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-54285?** Yes. @opentelemetry/core (npm): upgrade to 2.8.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-54285 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-54285?** Check whether you run @opentelemetry/core (npm) or Opentelemetry-Js-Core 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

- @opentelemetry/core (npm): upgrade to 2.8.0 or later

  ```sh
  npm install @opentelemetry/core@2.8.0
  ```


## Technical details

The W3CBaggagePropagator.extract() function in @opentelemetry/core fails to enforce the W3C Baggage specification's recommended limits (8,192 bytes and 180 entries) on inbound paths. While outbound injection was restricted, inbound extraction allows for memory allocation proportional to the header size without a cap. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this by sending oversized baggage headers. The impact is partially mitigated in default Node.js environments by the --max-http-header-size limit (16 KB), but the risk remains significant for non-HTTP transports or deployments with increased header limits. The issue is resolved in version 2.8.0 by enforcing strict size and entry counts during extraction.

## Affected products

- OpenTelemetry opentelemetry-js (@opentelemetry/core) < 2.8.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-54285
- GHSA-8988-4f7v-96qf

## Timeline

- 2026-06-12: advisory: GitHub Security Advisory published
- 2026-06-22: disclosed: CVE published to NVD

## References

- [https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-js/security/advisories/GHSA-8988-4f7v-96qf](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-js/security/advisories/GHSA-8988-4f7v-96qf)