CVE-2026-67216cJSON through 1.7.19 contains an inefficient algorithmic complexity flaw in cJSON_Compare().
Updated under an hour ago ()
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No exploitation reported and no EPSS estimate yet.
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cJSON through 1.7.19 contains an inefficient algorithmic complexity flaw in cJSON_Compare(). When comparing objects, the function recurses into each shared subtree twice, once in each direction, with no depth guard, making the running time exponential in nesting depth. A small, deeply nested document of a few hundred bytes (depth around 40) compared for equality consumes hours of CPU, and the cost roughly doubles with each additional level of nesting. An application that calls cJSON_Compare() on attacker-influenced JSON that is structurally equal to a reference document is exposed to a denial-of-service condition.
- CVSS
- 7.5 HIGH (v3.1, NVD)CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-407
- Known exploited
- Not in CISA's KEV catalog
- EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days)
- Not loaded for this CVE
- Assigned by
- Not given
- NVD analysis
- Analyzed
- Record last updated
- Aug 4, 2026
- First seen by InfoSec Signals
- Oct 9, 2026
Affected products
davegamble cjson davegamble:cjson | through 1.7.19 | NVD |
References
- https://github.com/DaveGamble/cJSON/blob/v1.7.19/cJSON.c#L3057-L3180patch
- https://joshua.hu/cjson-json-parser-cve-vulnerabilitiesexploit, press/media-coverage, third-party-advisory
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/cjson-cjson-compare-exponential-complexity-denial-of-servicethird-party-advisory
The CVE record on cve.org NVD's entry
The CVE record is authoritative. Products marked “from the name” were identified from the CNA's free-text names, not a CPE, and are matched less certainly. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.