---
id: CVE-2026-44316
title: free5GC is an open-source implementation of the 5G core network
summary: >-
  free5GC is an open-source implementation of the 5G core network. Prior to
  4.2.2, free5GC's PCF POST /npcf-smpolicycontrol/v1/sm-policies handler
  (HandleCreateSmPolicyRequest) panics with a nil-pointer dereference when a
  downstream OpenAP…
severity: high
cvss: 7.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-476
  - CWE-754
vendor: free5gc
product: free5gc
affected:
  - free5gc < 4.2.2
patched:
  - free5gc 4.2.2
published: '2026-05-27'
updated: '2026-10-14'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-14T20:10:00.190'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-44316'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/free5gc/free5gc/issues/803'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/free5gc/free5gc/security/advisories/GHSA-wr8j-6chw-gm6p'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/free5gc/pcf/commit/df535f5524314620715e842baf9723efbeb481a7
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/free5gc/pcf/pull/62'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/free5gc/free5gc/issues/803'
    label: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00655
epssPercentile: 0.50202
ingestedAt: '2026-10-14T20:53:12.328Z'
---

## Overview

free5GC is an open-source implementation of the 5G core network. Prior to 4.2.2, free5GC's PCF POST /npcf-smpolicycontrol/v1/sm-policies handler (HandleCreateSmPolicyRequest) panics with a nil-pointer dereference when a downstream OpenAPI consumer call (UDR lookup) returns 404 Not Found and the consumer wrapper returns err != nil together with a nil response struct. The handler logs the OpenAPI error and continues executing instead of returning, then dereferences the nil response struct on a subsequent line and panics. Gin recovery converts the panic into HTTP 500, so a single attacker-shaped POST returns 500 instead of a clean 4xx whenever the downstream lookup fails. The PCF process keeps running. The trigger is a single POST containing input that causes the downstream UDR lookup to fail (e.g. an unknown DNN). In 4.2.1 this endpoint is also reachable WITHOUT an Authorization header because the PCF Npcf_SMPolicyControl route group is mounted without inbound auth middleware. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.2.2.

## Affected

- `free5gc < 4.2.2`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `free5gc 4.2.2`