CVE-2016-10749

parse_string in cJSON.c in cJSON before 2016-10-02 has a buffer over-read, as demonstrated by a string that begins with a " character and ends with a \…

published April 29, 2019

CVSS
—
EPSS
2%
Percentile
84.3
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚠️ A sneaky buffer over-read is hiding in cJSON! This vulnerability occurs when strings start with a " and end with a \, leading to unexpected data being accessed. 🚨 Think of it like reading a book but closing it before the final chapter — you might accidentally peek at pages that weren't meant for you. Similarly, this flaw in cJSON can allow an application to stumble into memory it shouldn't touch, exposing hidden secrets. While there's no known exploitation of this vulnerability, an attacker could potentially read out-of-bounds memory, leading to unexpected behavior or even crash the application. It’s not a full-blown disaster, but it’s like leaving a window slightly open — you never know what could sneak in!

Put simply

Think of it like reading a book but closing it before the final chapter — you might accidentally peek at pages that weren't meant for you. Similarly, this flaw in cJSON can allow an application to stumble into memory it shouldn't touch, exposing hidden secrets. The vulnerability in cJSON arises from a buffer over-read in the parse_string function, which mishandles strings that begin with a " and end with a \, allowing the reading of unintended memory areas.

What to do

While there's no known exploitation of this vulnerability, an attacker could potentially read out-of-bounds memory, leading to unexpected behavior or even crash the application. It’s not a full-blown disaster, but it’s like leaving a window slightly open — you never know what could sneak in! To safeguard against this, developers should upgrade to the latest version of cJSON, which addresses this buffer over-read issue. Regularly auditing your dependencies for vulnerabilities can also help keep your application secure. You’re on the right track! Keep your libraries updated, and you’ll have this one sealed like a pro! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.02469 · 84.3th percentile
Published
2019-04-29T13:46Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 29 APR 13:46Z
    parse_string in cJSON.c in cJSON before 2016-10-02 has a buffer over-read, as demonstrated by a string that begins with a " character and ends with a \…
    cvelistv5