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CVE-2026-105668GHSA-pqhp-5x9x-69h7

Hex release-age cooldown is lifted package-wide when the locked release is retired

hexpm hex
CVSS
7.1High
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.33%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 24% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in2.5.2Fixed versionCVE List
Published12 Oct 2026Updated 16 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

Protection Mechanism Failure vulnerability in hexpm hex allows the owner of a package, or an attacker who has taken over the owner's account, to get a newly published release past the release-age cooldown.

The cooldown (cooldown config, HEX_COOLDOWN) withholds versions younger than the configured age during dependency resolution. When the release of a package locked in mix.lock is retired or has a security advisory, Hex.RemoteConverger.build_cooldown_bypass/3 and Hex.RemoteConverger.unsafe_lock_bypass/1 lift the cooldown for every version of that package and of every package the locked release depends on, so that mix deps.update can move off the unsafe release. Retiring a release needs the same package owner permission as publishing one. An attacker who publishes a malicious release can retire the currently locked release, and the next mix deps.update that unlocks the package selects the new release regardless of its age. Hex.Registry.Cooldown.versions/2 checks the bypass by package name alone, so the bypass also covers packages with the same name in other repositories. Cooldown configured through an organization dependency policy is not affected.

This issue affects hex: from 2.5.0 before 2.5.2.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 2

  • hexaffected: 2.5.0 before 2.5.2CVE List
  • hexaffected: b4e665d46be8a5f81e8cbbe4c3a67058a19cf133 and laterCVE List

References 6