CVE-2026-43894

jq: Wild stack write via signed-integer overflow in decNumber D2U() macro

Published May 11, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 6.2 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
jq is a command-line JSON processor. In 1.8.1 and earlier, when decNumberFromString is given a number literal of INT_MAX-1 (2147483646) digits, the D2U() macro overflows during signed-int arithmetic. The wrapped negative value bypasses the heap-allocation size check, causes the function to use a 30-byte stack buffer, and then writes ≈715 million 16-bit units (≈1.4 GiB) at an offset 1.43 GiB below the stack frame. The written content is fully attacker-controlled (the parsed decimal digits, packed 3-per-unit).

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4661-1 jq security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4662-1 jq security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6416-1 jq security update
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:jqlang:jq:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Jqlang
Jqlang jq
Vendors & Products Jqlang
Jqlang jq
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description jq is a command-line JSON processor. In 1.8.1 and earlier, when decNumberFromString is given a number literal of INT_MAX-1 (2147483646) digits, the D2U() macro overflows during signed-int arithmetic. The wrapped negative value bypasses the heap-allocation size check, causes the function to use a 30-byte stack buffer, and then writes ≈715 million 16-bit units (≈1.4 GiB) at an offset 1.43 GiB below the stack frame. The written content is fully attacker-controlled (the parsed decimal digits, packed 3-per-unit).
Title jq: Wild stack write via signed-integer overflow in decNumber D2U() macro
Weaknesses CWE-190
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.2, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
May 11, 2026, 6:32 PM
Reserved
May 4, 2026, 3:17 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
May 11, 2026, 6:16 PM
Modified
Oct 26, 2026, 6:10 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
May 11, 2026, 5:20 PM