---
id: "CVE-2026-115638"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-115638"]
title: "OpenStack Ironic: crafted configdrive gzip bomb can exhaust server resources"
severity: "medium"
cvss: 4.3
epss: 0.00212
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["bare-metal", "infrastructure", "ironic", "openstack", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["default-config"]
published_at: "2026-10-23T04:18:16+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:32+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T04:37:21+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-115638", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:32+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-115638", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-24T07:15:51+00:00"}]
---

# OpenStack Ironic: crafted configdrive gzip bomb can exhaust server resources

OpenStack Ironic through 39.0.1 accepts a configdrive that expands into a very large amount of uncompressed data (a gzip bomb). An attacker who can supply a configdrive can make the service consume excessive resources and deny service.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Check the installed Ironic version with `ironic-api --version` or the package manager, and compare against the versions named in the advisory
- Confirm whether configdrive images from untrusted sources are accepted by your Ironic deployment (unknown from sources)

## Fix

- Upgrade OpenStack Ironic past `39.0.1` to a release that includes the fix (exact fixed version: unknown from sources)

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:32+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-115638
- 2026-10-24T07:15:51+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-115638

## From the sources

OpenStack Ironic through 39.0.1 allows a denial of service via a configdrive that results in a very large amount of uncompressed data, aka a gzip bomb.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_