14 May 2026
Reference: CVE-2020-13949
1. What is being reported?
The vulnerability affects Apache Thrift versions 0.9.3 to 0.13.0. Malicious users can send specially crafted messages that cause the software to allocate excessive memory, potentially making the system slow down or stop responding.
2. What this means in plain English
If your organisation uses software that relies on Apache Thrift, attackers could cause your systems to crash or become unavailable, interrupting your business operations.
3. Could this affect a small business?
Small businesses using applications or plugins that include Apache Thrift might be affected, especially if they run services that communicate remotely.
4. What to do now
- Ask your IT provider if any of your systems use Apache Thrift software versions 0.9.3 to 0.13.0.
- Ensure that any affected softtware is updated to the latest version with security patches applied.
- Monitor your systems for unusual slowdowns or crashes that could indicate an attack.
- Review your security settings to limit exposure to remote requests from untrusted sources.
5. Ask your IT provider
Can you confirm whether any of our systems use Apache Thrift versions 0.9.3 to 0.13.0, and if so, have they been updated to fix the memory allocation vulnerability?
6. Bottom line
Check and update your software promptly to avoid service disruptions caused by this known Apache Thrift vulnerability.
Information based on CISA KEV, NVD, and reputable security reports including Rapid7.