CVE-2026-54512CWE-184CWE-502

jackson-databind: PolymorphicTypeValidator bypass via generic type parameters allows arbitrary class instantiation

High · published June 23, 2026

CVSS v3.1
8.1
EPSS
1%
Percentile
60.7
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

jackson-databind contains the general-purpose data-binding functionality and tree-model for Jackson Data Processor. From 2.10.0 until 2.18.8, 2.21.4, and 3.1.4, jackson-databind's PolymorphicTypeValidator (PTV) is the primary safety mechanism guarding polymorphic deserialization. When polymorphic typing is enabled and a type identifier contains generic parameters (i.e. the type ID string contains <), DatabindContext._resolveAndValidateGeneric() validates only the raw container class name (the substring before <) against the configured PTV. If the container type is approved, the method parses the full canonical type string via TypeFactory.constructFromCanonical() and returns the fully parameterized type without ever validating the nested type arguments against the PTV. The nested type arguments are then resolved, instantiated, and populated as beans during deserialization. An attacker who controls the type ID can therefore place a denied class as a generic type parameter of an allowed container — for example java.util.ArrayList<com.evil.Gadget> when only java.util.ArrayList is allow-listed. The container passes the PTV check; com.evil.Gadget is loaded via Class.forName(name, true, loader), instantiated, and its properties are set from attacker-controlled JSON. This completely bypasses an explicitly configured PTV allow-list. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.18.8, 2.21.4, and 3.1.4.

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
8.1 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.00944 · 60.7th percentile
Weaknesses
CWE-184 · Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs; CWE-502 · Deserialization of Untrusted Data
Published
2026-06-23T20:56Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 23 JUN 20:56Z
    jackson-databind: PolymorphicTypeValidator bypass via generic type parameters allows arbitrary class instantiation
    cvelistv5