OSV-2026-297 Security exception in org.apache.poi.util.IOUtils.safelyAllocate
Not scored
Published
Check this codebase for OSV-2026-297 and fix it if it is affected.
What it is: OSV-2026-297 is a denial of service vulnerability in apache-poi, published on 24 Feb 2026.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of OSV-2026-297 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Affected packages and fixed versions:
- apache-poi (OSS-Fuzz): affected all versions; no fix listed
Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.
Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/OSV-2026-297/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/OSV-2026-297/index.md)
A security exception in Apache POI's IOUtils can cause a denial of service when processing malformed HSSF records.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Not stated
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- None listed
What is OSV-2026-297?
OSV-2026-297 is a denial of service vulnerability in apache-poi, published on 24 Feb 2026.
Official description
OSS-Fuzz report: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=486522036
Crash type: Security exception
Crash state:
org.apache.poi.util.IOUtils.safelyAllocate
org.apache.poi.hssf.record.RecordInputStream.readRemainder
org.apache.poi.hssf.record.UnknownRecord.<init>
Which versions are affected by OSV-2026-297?
1 open source package ship an affected version, including apache-poi.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
apache-poi OSS-Fuzz | All versions | None |
How do I fix OSV-2026-297?
No fix has been published for OSV-2026-297 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.
Is OSV-2026-297 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of OSV-2026-297 in the wild and no public exploit code.