CVE-2026-23897

Apollo Server is vulnerable to denial of service with `startStandaloneServer`

Published Feb 4, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.5 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Apollo Server is an open-source, spec-compliant GraphQL server that's compatible with any GraphQL client, including Apollo Client. In versions from 2.0.0 to 3.13.0, 4.2.0 to before 4.13.0, and 5.0.0 to before 5.4.0, the default configuration of startStandaloneServer from @apollo/server/standalone is vulnerable to denial of service (DoS) attacks through specially crafted request bodies with exotic character set encodings. This issue does not affect users that use @apollo/server as a dependency for integration packages, like @as-integrations/express5 or @as-integrations/next, only direct usage of startStandaloneServer.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-mp6q-xf9x-fwf7 Apollo Serve vulnerable to Denial of Service with `startStandaloneServer`
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Apollographql apollo Server
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:apollographql:apollo_server:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Apollographql apollo Server
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Apollographql
Apollographql apollo Explorer
Vendors & Products Apollographql
Apollographql apollo Explorer
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Apollo Server is an open-source, spec-compliant GraphQL server that's compatible with any GraphQL client, including Apollo Client. In versions from 2.0.0 to 3.13.0, 4.2.0 to before 4.13.0, and 5.0.0 to before 5.4.0, the default configuration of startStandaloneServer from @apollo/server/standalone is vulnerable to denial of service (DoS) attacks through specially crafted request bodies with exotic character set encodings. This issue does not affect users that use @apollo/server as a dependency for integration packages, like @as-integrations/express5 or @as-integrations/next, only direct usage of startStandaloneServer.
Title Apollo Server is vulnerable to denial of service with `startStandaloneServer`
Weaknesses CWE-1333
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Feb 4, 2026, 7:55 PM
Reserved
Jan 16, 2026, 9:02 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Feb 4, 2026, 8:16 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 10:22 AM