CVE-2022-42004
Resource Exhaustion vulnerability in jackson-databind (Maven)

Resource Exhaustion No known exploit Fixable By Resolved Security

What is CVE-2022-42004 About?

This vulnerability is a resource exhaustion issue in FasterXML jackson-databind due to a lack of deep array nesting checks. It can lead to denial of service by consuming excessive resources, and is moderately difficult to exploit as it requires a specific feature to be enabled and crafted input.

Affected Software

  • com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind
    • >2.13.0, <2.13.4
    • <2.12.7.1

Technical Details

The vulnerability lies within FasterXML jackson-databind, specifically in the BeanDeserializer._deserializeFromArray method. When the UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS feature is explicitly enabled, the deserializer does not properly limit the depth of nested arrays during processing. An attacker can submit specially crafted JSON input containing a deeply nested array structure. This deep nesting causes the application to consume an inordinate amount of memory or CPU resources during deserialization, eventually leading to resource exhaustion and a denial of service condition.

What is the Impact of CVE-2022-42004?

Successful exploitation may allow attackers to cause a denial of service, rendering the affected service unavailable to legitimate users.

What is the Exploitability of CVE-2022-42004?

Exploitation of this vulnerability requires controlled input to the application's JSON deserialization functionality. The complexity is moderate due to the prerequisite that the UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS feature must be explicitly enabled in the jackson-databind configuration. No specific authentication or high privileges are required, as the attack typically targets a public-facing API endpoint that accepts JSON input. This is generally a remote attack. The primary risk factor increasing likelihood is an application processing untrusted JSON data with the vulnerable feature enabled, allowing an attacker to craft a payload that triggers the deep nesting.

What are the Known Public Exploits?

PoC Author Link Commentary
No known exploits

What are the Available Fixes for CVE-2022-42004?

A Fix by Resolved Security Exists!
See how we help you strengthen security with automated backported fixes for your libraries.

About the Fix from Resolved Security

The patch prevents nested arrays when the UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS feature is enabled by explicitly checking for a second [, and throwing an exception if found. This mitigates CVE-2022-42004 by blocking maliciously crafted deep-nested arrays that could otherwise cause a stack overflow or denial of service during deserialization.

Available Upgrade Options

  • com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind
    • <2.12.7.1 → Upgrade to 2.12.7.1
  • com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind
    • >2.13.0, <2.13.4 → Upgrade to 2.13.4

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Additional Resources

What are Similar Vulnerabilities to CVE-2022-42004?

Similar Vulnerabilities: CVE-2022-42003 , CVE-2023-1370 , CVE-2023-26144 , CVE-2023-25153 , CVE-2022-36944