CVE-2026-42208

Name: CVE-2026-42208
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2026-05-08T04:16:19.923+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

CRITICALCVSS 9.3/10Actively ExploitedEPSS 84.11%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2026-42208 is a critical-severity vulnerability rated 9.3/10 on the CVSS scale. LiteLLM is a proxy server (AI Gateway) to call LLM APIs in OpenAI (or native) format. From version 1.81.16 to before version 1.83.7, a database query used during proxy API key checks mixed the caller-supplied key value into the query text instead of passing it as a separate parameter. CISA has confirmed active exploitation in the wild. EPSS estimates a 84.11% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

LiteLLM is a proxy server (AI Gateway) to call LLM APIs in OpenAI (or native) format. From version 1.81.16 to before version 1.83.7, a database query used during proxy API key checks mixed the caller-supplied key value into the query text instead of passing it as a separate parameter. An unauthenticated attacker could send a specially crafted Authorization header to any LLM API route (for example POST /chat/completions) and reach this query through the proxy's error-handling path. An attacker could read data from the proxy's database and may be able to modify it, leading to unauthorised access to the proxy and the credentials it manages. This issue has been patched in version 1.83.7.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

9.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS 4.0

9.3/10

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

EPSS Probability

84.11%

99.7th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Exploitation Status

This vulnerability is listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies must remediate by May 11, 2026.

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-89

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Litellm	Litellm	>= 1.81.16, < 1.83.7

References

https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/releases/tag/v1.83.7-stableProduct, Release Notes
https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/security/advisories/GHSA-r75f-5x8p-qvmcMitigation, Patch, Vendor Advisory
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-42208US Government Resource

Timeline

Published: May 8, 2026
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-42208?

How severe is CVE-2026-42208?

CVE-2026-42208 has a CVSS score of 9.3/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 84.11% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

How do I fix CVE-2026-42208?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2026-42208?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

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Source: NVD / NIST