CVE-2020-13250: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling in Hashicorp Consul
Summary
CVE-2020-13250: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling in Hashicorp Consul. Affects github.com/hashicorp/consul across 2 version ranges.
>= 1.2.0, < 1.6.6
>= 1.7.0, < 1.7.4
Fixed in 1.6.6 or 1.7.4, depending on the release line you run. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
The same CVE-2020-13250 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
HashiCorp Consul is a tool used for service discovery, configuration, and orchestration in distributed systems. It provides an HTTP API and DNS caching feature. The vulnerability in Consul allowed for a denial of service attack through excessive resource allocation. This vulnerability was present in versions 1.2.0 to 1.6.5 and 1.7.0 to 1.7.3 of the Consul package.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in HashiCorp Consul allowed an attacker to exploit the HTTP API and DNS caching feature to perform a denial of service attack. By sending a large number of requests without any limits or throttling, the attacker could exhaust system resources, leading to service disruption. This vulnerability had a high severity rating with a CVSS score of 7.5. It was fixed in versions 1.6.6 and 1.7.4 of the Consul package.
How To Fix
Latest published version: v1.22.7 as of 22 Oct 2026
go get github.com/hashicorp/consul@v1.22.7Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the versions below are the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you can't move to the latest
The minimum fixed version depends on the release line you run.
-
>= 1.2.0, < 1.6.61.6.6go get github.com/hashicorp/consul@v1.6.6 -
>= 1.7.0, < 1.7.41.7.4go get github.com/hashicorp/consul@v1.7.4
Tip — Not sure which release line you're on? Vulert can find the fix for the version you are using. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to upgrade to the fixed version of the Consul package to mitigate the risk of a denial of service attack.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in HashiCorp Consul allowed for a denial of service attack through excessive resource allocation. It is crucial to upgrade to the fixed version of the Consul package (1.6.6 or 1.7.4) to mitigate the risk. For further support on vulnerability remediation, contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for github.com/hashicorp/consul →
FAQ
HashiCorp Consul is a tool used for service discovery, configuration, and orchestration in distributed systems.
This vulnerability allows for a denial of service attack, leading to service disruption.
This vulnerability has a high severity rating with a CVSS score of 7.5.
To fix this vulnerability, upgrade to the latest version of the Consul package (1.6.6 or 1.7.4).
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. Upgrading to the fixed version is the recommended solution.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for github.com/hashicorp/consul.
