# CVE-2026-90799: Apache CouchDB unsafe binary deserialisation in chttpd

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90799-unsafe-binary-deserialisation-in-chttpd-in-apache-couchdb-3-5-2  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-20. Updated: 2026-10-20  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-90799 · Severity: info · Published 2026-10-20

Apache CouchDB is a distributed database system used for storing and syncing data across applications. An unsafe binary deserialisation flaw in its HTTP daemon (chttpd) allows an authenticated attacker to exhaust server memory, causing the database service to become unavailable. Users should upgrade to version 3.5.3 to remediate this issue.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-90799 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-90799 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-90799?** Informational severity, published 20 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Apache CouchDB 3.5.2 and below.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-90799?** Yes: fixed in CouchDB 3.5.3. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-90799 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a hosted service.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-90799?** Check whether you run Apache CouchDB 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 CouchDB 3.5.3

## Technical details

The vulnerability is an unsafe binary deserialisation vulnerability in the chttpd component of CouchDB versions 3.5.2 and below. It requires an authenticated user to exploit and leads to denial of service through memory exhaustion. The flaw allows an attacker to craft malicious serialised data that, when deserialised by the server, consumes excessive memory resources.

## Affected products

- Apache CouchDB 3.5.2 and below

## Timeline

- 2026-10-20: disclosed

## References

- [https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/pj83174r8f8f64odf47fwhozbfjtot0f](https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/pj83174r8f8f64odf47fwhozbfjtot0f)
- [https://lists.apache.org/thread/bqxkm19hw8985t7opz675b29hs1zl4z9](https://lists.apache.org/thread/bqxkm19hw8985t7opz675b29hs1zl4z9)

## Related threats

- [Apache CouchDB missing authorization checks in chttpd](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90800-missing-authorisation-checks-in-chttpd-in-apache-couchdb-3-5-2)
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- [Apache CouchDB insufficient credential filtering in _replicator](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-107755-insufficient-filtering-of-credentials-in-the-replicator-database)