CVE-2022-42003 in FLEXCUBE Investor Servicing
Summary
by MITRE • 10/02/2022
In FasterXML jackson-databind before versions 2.13.4.1 and 2.12.17.1, resource exhaustion can occur because of a lack of a check in primitive value deserializers to avoid deep wrapper array nesting, when the UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS feature is enabled.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-42003 affects the FasterXML jackson-databind library, a widely used Java library for processing json data. This issue represents a resource exhaustion flaw that can be exploited through maliciously crafted json payloads when the UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS feature is enabled in the deserialization process. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the primitive value deserializers that fail to prevent deeply nested wrapper arrays from being processed recursively.
The technical flaw manifests when jackson-databind attempts to deserialize json data containing excessively nested arrays while the UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS feature is active. This feature is designed to automatically unwrap single-element arrays during deserialization, but without proper depth checking mechanisms, the deserializer can be forced into recursive processing of deeply nested structures. The vulnerability specifically impacts the primitive value deserializers which handle basic data types such as integers, strings, and booleans, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect common data processing scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions. Attackers can leverage this weakness to consume excessive system resources including memory and cpu cycles, potentially leading to application crashes or system instability. The resource exhaustion occurs through recursive array processing that can quickly escalate from manageable to catastrophic levels depending on the payload complexity. This vulnerability affects applications that process untrusted json input and have the UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS feature enabled, which is common in many web applications and api endpoints.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-42003 should prioritize updating to the patched versions 2.13.4.1 or 2.12.17.1 of jackson-databind where the depth checking mechanisms have been implemented. Organizations should also consider disabling the UNWRAP_SINGLE_VALUE_ARRAYS feature if it is not essential for their application functionality, particularly in scenarios involving untrusted input. Additional protective measures include implementing input validation and sanitization layers, setting resource limits on deserialization operations, and monitoring for unusual memory consumption patterns. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses resource exhaustion issues, and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for resource exhaustion attacks targeting application availability. Security teams should conduct comprehensive testing of their applications after applying patches to ensure no regression in functionality while maintaining the security improvements.