CVE-2016-4074 in jq
Summary
by MITRE
The jv_dump_term function in jq 1.5 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (stack consumption and application crash) via a crafted JSON file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4074 represents a critical stack consumption issue within the jq 1.5 JSON processing utility. This flaw exists in the jv_dump_term function which handles terminal output formatting for JSON data structures. The vulnerability manifests when jq processes specially crafted JSON files that contain deeply nested or malformed data structures, causing the application to consume excessive stack memory during processing. This behavior directly violates the principle of resource exhaustion protection that is fundamental to secure application design as outlined in CWE-400. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to exploit this weakness by providing malicious JSON input that triggers recursive processing patterns, ultimately leading to stack overflow conditions that cause application crashes and denial of service.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate stack depth validation within the jv_dump_term function. When jq encounters complex JSON structures, the function recursively processes nested objects and arrays without proper bounds checking on stack usage. This recursive processing pattern is particularly dangerous because JSON data can contain arbitrarily deep nesting levels, and the lack of stack depth limits allows attackers to craft payloads that exhaust available stack space. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of improper input validation and insufficient resource management, both of which are categorized under CWE-248. The function's failure to implement stack depth monitoring creates an exploitable condition where an attacker can craft JSON files with nested structures that grow the call stack exponentially, consuming available memory resources until the application terminates.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability affects any system running jq 1.5 that processes untrusted JSON input from external sources. The denial of service condition can be triggered remotely through various attack vectors including web applications that use jq for JSON processing, command-line tools that accept JSON input, or automated systems that process JSON data from external APIs. The vulnerability particularly impacts systems where jq is used in server-side processing environments, as attackers can repeatedly send malicious JSON payloads to exhaust system resources and cause service disruption. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially affect system availability in environments where jq is part of critical processing pipelines, making this a significant concern for infrastructure security. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service and represents a classic example of how improper resource handling can lead to system instability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4074 should prioritize immediate patching of jq to versions that address the stack consumption issue. Organizations should implement input validation measures that limit JSON nesting depth and size before processing with jq, particularly when handling untrusted data. The implementation of resource limits and stack depth monitoring within jq processing pipelines can provide additional protection layers against exploitation attempts. System administrators should consider deploying monitoring solutions that detect unusual stack memory consumption patterns and automatically terminate suspicious processes. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper recursion handling and stack management in security-critical applications, emphasizing the need for defensive programming practices such as those recommended in the CERT Secure Coding Standards. Additionally, organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running jq to untrusted input sources, reducing the attack surface for this particular vulnerability.