# CVE-2026-90484: Apache bRPC MySQL client null pointer dereference

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90484-the-mysql-client-response-parser-in-apache-brpc-dereferences-a  
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-2026-90484 · Severity: info · Published 2026-10-21

Apache bRPC is a service framework used by applications to communicate with MySQL databases. A malicious or compromised MySQL server can send a specially crafted response packet that causes the bRPC client to crash, resulting in denial of service to applications relying on that database connection.

Technologies: [Apache Brpc](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/brpc). Vendors: [Apache](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/apache).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-90484 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-90484 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-90484?** Informational severity, published 21 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Apache Brpc before 1.18.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-90484?** Yes: fixed in bRPC 1.18.0. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-90484 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-90484?** Check whether you run Apache Brpc 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

- Fixed in bRPC 1.18.0

## Technical details

The MySQL client response parser in bRPC fails to reject zero-payload-length response packets before attempting to read the response type byte. When buf.fetch(header, 5) returns nullptr for an empty packet, the subsequent read of p[4] dereferences a null pointer, crashing the client. The vulnerability affects both the initial response type determination and the fast-auth code path, and requires a network-adjacent attacker (server or MITM) to send the malicious packet.

## Affected products

- Apache bRPC before 1.18.0

## Timeline

- 2026-10-21: disclosed: CVE-2026-90484 published

## References

- [https://github.com/](https://github.com/)
- [https://github.com/apache/brpc/pull/3536](https://github.com/apache/brpc/pull/3536)

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