CVE-2026-16554
No fix known EPSS <1%CVSS 5.1
cJSON library is vulnerable to an integer overflow in the print_string_ptr() function in cJSON.c on 32-bit platforms. The escape_characters counter, a 32-bit size_t, can wrap around when processing strings containing approximately 858,993,460 or more control characters, causing the output buffer to be allocated based on an underestimated length. When cJSON_PrintBuffered() is used with a pre-allocated buffer, the subsequent write loop overflows the heap allocation. An attacker supplying a crafted JSON string to an application using cJSON on a 32-bit platform can cause a heap buffer overflow, potentially leading to remote code execution, information disclosure, or denial of service. Because project creator contact attempts were unsuccessful, the vulnerability has only been confirmed in version 1.7.19 but may also affect other versions.
Products: davegamble cjson
Distro releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Debian 12 | cjson | no fix |
| Debian 13 | cjson | no fix |
| Debian 14 | cjson | no fix |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | cjson | no fix |
| Ubuntu 26.10 | cjson | no fix |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | cjson | no fix |
| Ubuntu Pro 22.04 LTS | cjson | no fix |
| Ubuntu Pro 24.04 LTS | cjson | no fix |