CVE-2026-68494
jackson-core: Async parser maxNumberLength bypass via chunked digit accumulation (incomplete fix for CVE-2026-18401 / GHSA-72hv-8253-57qq)
Description
The fix released in jackson-core 2.18.6 and 2.21.1 for CVE-2026-18401 (GHSA-72hv-8253-57qq, number length constraint bypass in the non-blocking parser) is incomplete. This record covers the remaining bypass. The earlier fix wired validateIntegerLength() into a new _setIntLength() helper and invoked it wherever the integer portion of a number is decided: a terminator byte arrives, a . or e/E is seen, or input ends inside a fully buffered value. It was not invoked on the attacker-relevant path where the parser runs out of input while still inside the MINOR_NUMBER_INTEGER_DIGITS minor state and returns NOT_AVAILABLE to the caller. As a result, an attacker who streams JSON to a non-blocking parser in many small chunks, without ever sending a terminator byte, keeps the parser inside MINOR_NUMBER_INTEGER_DIGITS indefinitely. _textBuffer.expandCurrentSegment() grows the accumulator on every chunk while validateIntegerLength() is never called. The accumulator is bounded only by maxStringLength (20 MiB by default) rather than by maxNumberLength (1000 by default), an amplification of roughly 20,000x over the documented limit. Because Java char values occupy two bytes, a single connection can be driven to approximately 40 MiB of heap before the validator finally fires when the value completes. The equivalent fraction-path code is correct: _finishFloatFraction() calls _setFractLength() before its NOT_AVAILABLE return. The missing call affects the integer-digit paths in _startPositiveNumber(), _startNegativeNumber() and _finishNumberIntegralPart() in NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase. Impact: reactive frameworks such as Spring WebFlux/Reactor, Quarkus, Helidon and Vert.x feed inbound HTTP or gRPC bytes to the async parser as they arrive, which is precisely the chunked-feed shape required. Operators who set StreamReadConstraints.maxNumberLength expecting it to cap memory per number value do not get that guarantee; memory accumulates per concurrent connection and attacker-controlled concurrency can exhaust the JVM heap. The synchronous parsers (UTF8StreamJsonParser, ReaderBasedJsonParser) and the async parser operating on complete input are not affected. Exploitation requires only the ability to stream data to a parsing endpoint; no privileges or user interaction are needed. This issue affects com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core from version 2.15.0 through 2.18.7, from 2.19.0 through 2.21.3, and from 2.22.0 through 2.22.0, and tools.jackson.core:jackson-core from 3.0.0 through 3.1.3 and from 3.2.0 through 3.2.0. 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-r7wm-3cxj-wff9 states the affected 2.x range without a lower bound.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 4, 2026, 3:16 p.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 4, 2026, 3:16 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
36c7be3b-2937-45df-85ea-ca7133ea542c
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | HIGH | 36c7be3b-2937-45df-85ea-ca7133ea542c | ||||
| CVSS 4.0 | HIGH | 36c7be3b-2937-45df-85ea-ca7133ea542c |
Solution
- Update jackson-core to version 2.18.7 or 2.21.3.
- Update jackson-core to version 3.1.4 or 3.2.1.
- Apply vendor patches for affected jackson-core versions.
- Configure maxNumberLength for all parsers.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-68494.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-68494 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-68494
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-68494 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-68494 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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New CVE Received by 36c7be3b-2937-45df-85ea-ca7133ea542c
Aug. 04, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'repo': 'https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core', 'vendor': 'FasterXML', 'product': 'jackson-core', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '2.15.0', 'lessThan': '2.18.8', 'versionType': 'maven'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '2.18.8', 'versionType': 'maven'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '2.19.0', 'lessThan': '2.21.4', 'versionType': 'maven'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '2.21.4', 'versionType': 'maven'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '2.22.0', 'lessThan': '2.22.1', 'versionType': 'maven'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '2.22.1', 'versionType': 'maven'}], 'packageName': 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core', 'programFiles': ['src/main/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/core/json/async/NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase.java'], 'collectionURL': 'https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2', 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected', 'programRoutines': [{'name': 'NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase._startPositiveNumber'}, {'name': 'NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase._startNegativeNumber'}, {'name': 'NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase._finishNumberIntegralPart'}]}, {'repo': 'https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core', 'vendor': 'FasterXML', 'product': 'jackson-core', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '3.0.0', 'lessThan': '3.1.4', 'versionType': 'maven'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '3.1.4', 'versionType': 'maven'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '3.2.0', 'lessThan': '3.2.1', 'versionType': 'maven'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '3.2.1', 'versionType': 'maven'}], 'packageName': 'tools.jackson.core:jackson-core', 'programFiles': ['src/main/java/tools/jackson/core/json/async/NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase.java'], 'collectionURL': 'https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2', 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected', 'programRoutines': [{'name': 'NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase._startPositiveNumber'}, {'name': 'NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase._startNegativeNumber'}, {'name': 'NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase._finishNumberIntegralPart'}]}] Added Description The fix released in jackson-core 2.18.6 and 2.21.1 for CVE-2026-18401 (GHSA-72hv-8253-57qq, number length constraint bypass in the non-blocking parser) is incomplete. This record covers the remaining bypass. The earlier fix wired validateIntegerLength() into a new _setIntLength() helper and invoked it wherever the integer portion of a number is decided: a terminator byte arrives, a . or e/E is seen, or input ends inside a fully buffered value. It was not invoked on the attacker-relevant path where the parser runs out of input while still inside the MINOR_NUMBER_INTEGER_DIGITS minor state and returns NOT_AVAILABLE to the caller. As a result, an attacker who streams JSON to a non-blocking parser in many small chunks, without ever sending a terminator byte, keeps the parser inside MINOR_NUMBER_INTEGER_DIGITS indefinitely. _textBuffer.expandCurrentSegment() grows the accumulator on every chunk while validateIntegerLength() is never called. The accumulator is bounded only by maxStringLength (20 MiB by default) rather than by maxNumberLength (1000 by default), an amplification of roughly 20,000x over the documented limit. Because Java char values occupy two bytes, a single connection can be driven to approximately 40 MiB of heap before the validator finally fires when the value completes. The equivalent fraction-path code is correct: _finishFloatFraction() calls _setFractLength() before its NOT_AVAILABLE return. The missing call affects the integer-digit paths in _startPositiveNumber(), _startNegativeNumber() and _finishNumberIntegralPart() in NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase. Impact: reactive frameworks such as Spring WebFlux/Reactor, Quarkus, Helidon and Vert.x feed inbound HTTP or gRPC bytes to the async parser as they arrive, which is precisely the chunked-feed shape required. Operators who set StreamReadConstraints.maxNumberLength expecting it to cap memory per number value do not get that guarantee; memory accumulates per concurrent connection and attacker-controlled concurrency can exhaust the JVM heap. The synchronous parsers (UTF8StreamJsonParser, ReaderBasedJsonParser) and the async parser operating on complete input are not affected. Exploitation requires only the ability to stream data to a parsing endpoint; no privileges or user interaction are needed. This issue affects com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core from version 2.15.0 through 2.18.7, from 2.19.0 through 2.21.3, and from 2.22.0 through 2.22.0, and tools.jackson.core:jackson-core from 3.0.0 through 3.1.3 and from 3.2.0 through 3.2.0. 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-r7wm-3cxj-wff9 states the affected 2.x range without a lower bound. Added CVSS V4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X Added CWE CWE-770 Added Reference https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-72hv-8253-57qq Added Reference https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/commit/050b429804dce2a7e08f0be1b0b4c3d040fdb9cd Added Reference https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/commit/4cdd529749da396cc7edf6d4a2aad41d47902641 Added Reference https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/commit/c5941e5aae7fd5aeac55d66933cfb82b9aabeef8 Added Reference https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/pull/1611 Added Reference https://github.com/FasterXML/jackson-core/security/advisories/GHSA-r7wm-3cxj-wff9 Added Reference https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-18401