CVE-2026-42208: BerriAI LiteLLM SQL Injection Vulnerability

Patch now

CRITICAL 9.8EXPLOITEDREMOTEUPGRADE

CVE-2026-42208 is a critical-severity flaw (CVSS 9.8) affecting litellm, reported as exploited in the wild. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

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 throu

Why this priority

Critical severity
EPSS top 1%: very likely to be exploited
Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV)
Public exploit reference
CISA SSVC: automatable with total technical impact
Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	9.8 (Critical)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	None
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	89.4% (top 1%)
CISA exploited list	Yes, fix due 2026-05-11
Weakness	CWE-89
Published	2026-05-08
Last modified	2026-10-26

Publisher (CNA): GitHub, Inc. · Vendor: litellm

Last updated 2026-10-26 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2026-05-08Exploited Added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list
2026-05-08 04:16 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-05-11Deadline CISA due date for US federal agencies to patch
2026-10-26 20:10 UTCUpdated Record last modified

litellm litellm UPGRADE

Affected: >= 1.81.16 and < 1.83.7

Fixed in: 1.83.7

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 1.81.16

1. Check installed version

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

2. UPGRADE to 1.83.7 (Debian / Ubuntu)

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

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade litellm

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 1.81.16 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison litellm sudo apt install litellm=<VERSION_BEFORE_1.81.16> sudo apt-mark hold litellm

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

dnf --showduplicates list litellm sudo dnf downgrade litellm-<VERSION_BEFORE_1.81.16> sudo dnf versionlock add litellm

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.

Exact fixes by distribution

Python (pip) · litellm · FIXED · 1.83.7 · vulnerable: >= 1.81.16, < 1.83.7 · source

pip install --upgrade "litellm>=1.83.7" pip show litellm

Fedora 46 · ddnet · FIXED · 20.2-1.fc46 · FEDORA-2026-6991b4ab14 · source

sudo dnf upgrade --advisory=FEDORA-2026-6991b4ab14

Fedora ELN · libplacebo · FIXED · 7.360.1-5.eln159 · FEDORA-2026-92226f221e · source

sudo dnf upgrade --advisory=FEDORA-2026-92226f221e

Public exploits and detection

Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.

GitHub PoC: ridhinva/litellm-sqli-scanner (1 stars)
GitHub PoC: imjdl/CVE-2026-42208_lab (0 stars)
GitHub PoC: 0xBlackash/CVE-2026-42208 (0 stars)
Metasploit: BerriAI LiteLLM Proxy Pre-Auth SQL Injection Scanner
Nuclei scan template: LiteLLM - SQL Injection

Advisories and coverage

Research and news

Sysdig Threat Research: CVE-2026-42208: Targeted SQL injection against LiteLLM's authentication path discovered 36 hours following vulnerability disclosure 2026-04-27

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · CISA KEV catalog · 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-2026-42208?

litellm: upgrade to 1.83.7. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2026-42208 being exploited?

Yes. CVE-2026-42208 is on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list, so treat it as patch-now.

What does CVE-2026-42208 affect?

CVE-2026-42208 affects litellm. Severity is critical (CVSS 9.8). 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 i

How urgent is CVE-2026-42208?

Priority 97/100. Critical severity; EPSS top 1%: very likely to be exploited; Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV); Public exploit reference; CISA SSVC: automatable with total technical impact; Remotely exploitable, no login, no user action

Software pages

OpenAI and LLM tools vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2026-40217 HIGH 8.8 UPGRADE LiteLLM through 2026-04-08 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via bytecode rewriting at the /gu
CVE-2026-42271 HIGH 8.8 EXPLOITED UPGRADE UPGRADE BerriAI LiteLLM Command Injection Vulnerability
CVE-2026-42203 HIGH 8.8 UPGRADE LiteLLM is a proxy server (AI Gateway) to call LLM APIs in OpenAI (or native) format
CVE-2026-49468 CRITICAL 9.8 UPGRADE LiteLLM is a proxy server (AI Gateway) to call LLM APIs in OpenAI (or native) format
CVE-2026-12773 HIGH 7.3 UPGRADE A weakness has been identified in BerriAI litellm up to 1.59.8

References

← Back to latest CVEs