CVE-2026-116181: vLLM from 0.20.1 before 0.29.0 contains an improper input validation vulnerability that allows remote attacker

Routine

MEDIUM 6.5UPGRADE

CVE-2026-116181 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.5) affecting vllm. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

vLLM from 0.20.1 before 0.29.0 contains an improper input validation vulnerability that allows remote attackers to crash the engine by supplying out-of-vocabulary stop_token_ids. Attackers can send OpenAI chat, completion, generate, or batch requests with invalid IDs to terminate the engine or write outside the V2 runner's logits buffer.

Why this priority

No elevated risk signals yet

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	6.5 (Medium)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	0.4% (top 70%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-129
Published	2026-10-25
Last modified	2026-10-28

Publisher (CNA): VulnCheck · Vendor: vllm

Last updated 2026-10-28 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2026-10-25 14:16 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-10-28 15:39 UTCUpdated Record last modified

vllm vllm UPGRADE

Affected: >= 0.20.1 and < 0.29.0

Fixed in: 0.29.0

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 0.20.1

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy vllm || rpm -q vllm || vllm --version

2. UPGRADE to 0.29.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade vllm

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade vllm

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

3. If no update is available yet, DOWNGRADE to a release before 0.20.1 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison vllm sudo apt install vllm=<VERSION_BEFORE_0.20.1> sudo apt-mark hold vllm

3. If no update is available yet, DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list vllm sudo dnf downgrade vllm-<VERSION_BEFORE_0.20.1> sudo dnf versionlock add vllm

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2026-116181?

vllm: upgrade to 0.29.0. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2026-116181 being exploited?

CVE-2026-116181 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2026-116181 affect?

CVE-2026-116181 affects vllm. Severity is medium (CVSS 6.5). vLLM from 0.20.1 before 0.29.0 contains an improper input validation vulnerability that allows remote attackers to crash the engine by supplying out-of-vocabulary stop_token_ids. Attackers can send OpenAI chat, completion, generate, or batc

How urgent is CVE-2026-116181?

Priority 30/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Software pages

OpenAI and LLM tools vulnerabilities

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References

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