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9.4
CVE-2026-105668: Hex package manager can skip release age protection
CVE-2026-105668 · published 3 days ago
Summary
In Hex version 2.5.0 through 2.5.1, an owner or anyone who gains control of an owner's account can remove the built-in waiting period that normally blocks very new package versions from being used. By retiring a locked version, the system may automatically allow a newly published (and possibly malicious) version to be installed without the usual safety check. Update Hex to version 2.5.2 or later to restore the protection.
What to do
- Update hexpm hex to version 1b6fddfeadd98ed26a143f60356efade0494e2ae.
Affected software
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions |
|---|---|---|
| hexpm | hex |
< 2.5.2 < * Fix: upgrade to 1b6fddfeadd98ed26a143f60356efade0494e2ae
|
Original advisory text
Hex release-age cooldown is lifted package-wide when the locked release is retired
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.
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.
References
- https://cna.erlef.org/cves/CVE-2026-105668.html URL
- https://github.com/hexpm/hex/commit/1b6fddfeadd98ed26a143f60356efade0494e2ae Patch
- https://github.com/hexpm/hex/commit/b4e665d46be8a5f81e8cbbe4c3a67058a19cf133 Patch
- https://github.com/hexpm/hex/commit/eed2bdf85320ae9e244629511c03f5f3f8c5d0b5 Patch
- https://github.com/hexpm/hex/security/advisories/GHSA-pqhp-5x9x-69h7 Vendor Advisory
- https://osv.dev/vulnerability/EEF-CVE-2026-105668 URL
- https://github.com URL
- https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/105xxx/CVE-2026-1056... Vendor Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-105668 Vendor Advisory
- https://github.com/hexpm/hex Product
Internet-facing
14 days
Internal
At next upgrade
- Not known to be exploited
- Needs hands-on effort to exploit (estimated)
- Gives an attacker full control (estimated)
Severity
9.4
Critical
Type
CWE-693Protection Mechanism Failure
Timeline
Published12 Oct 2026
Updated15 Oct 2026
First seen12 Oct 2026
Sources
CVE-2026-105668 · NVD
CVE-2026-105668 · MITRE
EEF-CVE-2026-105668 · OSV
GHSA-pqhp-5x9x-69h7 · GHSA
CVE-2026-105668 · OSV
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