title: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption in promhttp
description: client_golang is the instrumentation library for Go applications in Prometheus, and the promhttp package in client_golang provides tooling around HTTP servers and clients. In client_golang prior to version 1.11.1, HTTP server is susceptible to a Denial of Service through unbounded cardinality, and potential memory exhaustion, when handling requests with non-standard HTTP methods. In order to be affected, an instrumented software must use any of `promhttp.InstrumentHandler*` middleware except `RequestsInFlight`; not filter any specific methods (e.g GET) before middleware; pass metric with `method` label name to our middleware; and not have any firewall/LB/proxy that filters away requests with unknown `method`. client_golang version 1.11.1 contains a patch for this issue. Several workarounds are available, including removing the `method` label name from counter/gauge used in the InstrumentHandler; turning off affected promhttp handlers; adding custom middleware before promhttp handler that will sanitize the request method given by Go http.Request; and using a reverse proxy or web application firewall, configured to only allow a limited set of methods.
problem types: CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
affected:
{
vendor: prometheus
product: client_golang
versions:
version: < 1.11.1, status: affected
}
metrics:
cvssV3_1: [
version: 3.1
vectorString: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
attackVector: NETWORK
attackComplexity: LOW
privilegesRequired: NONE
userInteraction: NONE
scope: UNCHANGED
confidentialityImpact: NONE
integrityImpact: NONE
availabilityImpact: HIGH
baseScore: 7.5
baseSeverity: HIGH
]