---
title: "CVE-2023-45142\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-45142?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2023-45142

Publication date 12 October 2023

Last updated 11 July 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**7.5 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2023-45142?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

OpenTelemetry-Go Contrib is a collection of third-party packages for
OpenTelemetry-Go. A handler wrapper out of the box adds labels
`http.user\_agent` and `http.method` that have unbound cardinality. It leads
to the server's potential memory exhaustion when many malicious requests
are sent to it. HTTP header User-Agent or HTTP method for requests can be
easily set by an attacker to be random and long. The library internally
uses `httpconv.ServerRequest` that records every value for HTTP `method`
and `User-Agent`. In order to be affected, a program has to use the
`otelhttp.NewHandler` wrapper and not filter any unknown HTTP methods or
User agents on the level of CDN, LB, previous middleware, etc. Version
0.44.0 fixed this issue when the values collected for attribute
`http.request.method` were changed to be restricted to a set of well-known
values and other high cardinality attributes were removed. As a workaround
to stop being affected, `otelhttp.WithFilter()` can be used, but it
requires manual careful configuration to not log certain requests entirely.
For convenience and safe usage of this library, it should by default mark
with the label `unknown` non-standard HTTP methods and User agents to show
that such requests were made but do not increase cardinality. In case
someone wants to stay with the current behavior, library API should allow
to enable it.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| golang-opentelemetry-contrib | 26.04 LTS resolute | Needs evaluation |
| 25.10 questing | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage |
| 25.04 plucky | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage |
| 24.10 oracular | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage |
| 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release |
| 23.10 mantic | Not in release |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Not in release |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not in release |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

7.5 · High

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | None |
  | Integrity impact | None |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 7.5 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-45142)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-45142)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2023-45142)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-45142)

### Other references

* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-45142>