CVE-2026-21696
SQLite Parameter Limit Bypass in Pterodactyl Wings Causes Disk Exhaustion
Publication date: 2026-01-19
Last updated on: 2026-02-02
Assigner: GitHub, Inc.
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| pterodactyl | wings | to 1.12.0 (exc) |
| pterodactyl | wings | 1.12.0 |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-400 | The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource. |
| CWE-770 | The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability exists in Wings, the server control plane for Pterodactyl, versions 1.7.0 up to but not including 1.12.0. Wings does not account for SQLite's maximum parameter limit of 32,766 when deleting processed activity log entries. If Wings tries to delete more than 32,766 entries in a single SQL query, it triggers an error and fails to remove any entries. As a result, these entries are repeatedly reprocessed and resent to the panel each time the cron job runs, causing an endless loop of activity log reprocessing and flooding the panel with duplicate data. This issue can be triggered by generating a large number of activity entries, such as rapidly creating many small files via SFTP. The vulnerability was fixed in version 1.12.0. [2]
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
The vulnerability can cause the Wings server to continuously upload the same activity data repeatedly, growing over time as new activity is added. This leads to the panel's database server running out of disk space, severely impacting availability. Essentially, it can cause a denial-of-service condition due to uncontrolled resource consumption, disrupting normal operations and potentially causing service outages. [2]
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring the Wings server activity logs for repeated reprocessing and uploading of the same activity entries, which indicates the SQLite deletion error due to exceeding the max parameter limit. Specifically, look for error messages like "SQL logic error: too many SQL variables (1)" in Wings logs. Additionally, generating many activity entries rapidly (e.g., via SFTP file creation) can trigger the issue. Commands to check Wings logs or database errors depend on your system setup, but generally, you can check Wings log files for the error message or monitor disk usage growth on the panel's database server to detect abnormal activity flooding. [2]
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
The immediate mitigation step is to upgrade Wings to version 1.12.0 or later, where this issue is fixed. Until the upgrade, limit the generation of excessive activity log entries, for example by controlling or restricting rapid file creation via SFTP or other means that generate many activity logs. Monitoring and cleaning up the Wings SQLite database manually to prevent disk space exhaustion may also help temporarily. Ultimately, applying the official patch in version 1.12.0 is required to fully resolve the vulnerability. [2]
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
The provided resources do not contain information regarding the impact of this vulnerability on compliance with common standards and regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA.