CVE-2026-21696
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
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
Wings is the server control plane for Pterodactyl, a free, open-source game server management panel. Starting in version 1.7.0 and prior to version 1.12.0, Wings does not consider SQLite max parameter limit when processing activity log entries allowing for low privileged user to trigger a condition that floods the panel with activity records. After Wings sends activity logs to the panel it deletes the processed activity entries from the wings SQLite database. However, it does not consider the max parameter limit of SQLite, 32766 as of SQLite 3.32.0. If wings attempts to delete more than 32766 entries from the SQLite database in one query, it triggers an error (SQL logic error: too many SQL variables (1)) and does not remove any entries from the database. These entries are then indefinitely re-processed and resent to the panel each time the cron runs. By successfully exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can trigger a situation where wings will keep uploading the same activity data to the panel repeatedly (growing each time to include new activity) until the panels' database server runs out of disk space. Version 1.12.0 fixes the issue.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-01-19
Last Modified
2026-02-02
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2026-01-20
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-15
NVD
CVE-2026-21696
EUVD
EUVD-2026-3295
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
pterodactyl wings to 1.12.0 (exc)
pterodactyl wings 1.12.0
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
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.
CWE-400 The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.
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Compliance Impact

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.

Executive Summary

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]

Impact Analysis

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]

Detection Guidance

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]

Mitigation Strategies

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]

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