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Amazon Linux 2023 : jackson-core (ALAS2023-2026-2067)
high Nessus Plugin ID 337219
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Synopsis
The remote Amazon Linux 2023 host is missing a security update.Description
It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities as referenced in the ALAS2023-2026-2067 advisory.The non-blocking (asynchronous) JSON parser in jackson-core does not enforce the maxNumberLength constraint defined in StreamReadConstraints (default: 1000 characters). An attacker able to submit JSON to an application that uses the async parser API can supply a number token of arbitrary length, leading to excessive memory allocation and potential CPU exhaustion, resulting in a denial of service.
The synchronous parser enforces this limit correctly, so the constraint is applied inconsistently depending on which parsing API the application uses.
Root cause: the async parsing path in NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase and related classes never invokes the number length validation methods. Number parsing methods such as _finishNumberIntegralPart() accumulate digits into the TextBuffer without any length check, then call _valueComplete() to finalize the token.
_valueComplete() does not call resetInt() or resetFloat(), which are the methods in ParserBase where validateIntegerLength() and validateFPLength() are performed. Because that validation step is skipped, maxNumberLength is never enforced on the async code path.
Impact: an attacker sending a JSON document containing an arbitrarily long number to an application using the async parser (for example a Spring WebFlux or other reactive application) can cause unbounded allocation in the TextBuffer and an OutOfMemoryError. If the application subsequently calls getBigIntegerValue() or getDecimalValue(), the JVM may additionally be tied up in O(n^2) BigInteger parsing, causing CPU-based denial of service.
No privileges or user interaction beyond the ability to submit data for parsing are required.
This issue affects com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core from version 2.15.0 through 2.18.5 and from 2.19.0 through 2.21.0, and tools.jackson.core:jackson-core from 3.0.0 through 3.0.x.
Versions prior to 2.15.0 are not affected, because StreamReadConstraints -- which defines the maxNumberLength setting -- was first introduced in jackson-core 2.15.0, so no such constraint exists to be bypassed in earlier releases. Note that GHSA-72hv-8253-57qq records the lower bound of the affected 2.x range as 2.0.0. (CVE-2026-18401)
The fix released in jackson-core 2.18.6 and 2.21.1 for CVE-2026-18401 (GHSA-72hv-8253-57qq, number length constraint bypass in the non-blocking parser) is incomplete. This record covers the remaining bypass.
The earlier fix wired validateIntegerLength() into a new _setIntLength() helper and invoked it wherever the integer portion of a number is decided: a terminator byte arrives, a . or e/E is seen, or input ends inside a fully buffered value. It was not invoked on the attacker-relevant path where the parser runs out of input while still inside the MINOR_NUMBER_INTEGER_DIGITS minor state and returns NOT_AVAILABLE to the caller.
As a result, an attacker who streams JSON to a non-blocking parser in many small chunks, without ever sending a terminator byte, keeps the parser inside MINOR_NUMBER_INTEGER_DIGITS indefinitely.
_textBuffer.expandCurrentSegment() grows the accumulator on every chunk while validateIntegerLength() is never called. The accumulator is bounded only by maxStringLength (20 MiB by default) rather than by maxNumberLength (1000 by default), an amplification of roughly 20,000x over the documented limit. Because Java char values occupy two bytes, a single connection can be driven to approximately 40 MiB of heap before the validator finally fires when the value completes.
The equivalent fraction-path code is correct: _finishFloatFraction() calls _setFractLength() before its NOT_AVAILABLE return. The missing call affects the integer-digit paths in _startPositiveNumber(),
_startNegativeNumber() and _finishNumberIntegralPart() in NonBlockingUtf8JsonParserBase.
Impact: reactive frameworks such as Spring WebFlux/Reactor, Quarkus, Helidon and Vert.x feed inbound HTTP or gRPC bytes to the async parser as they arrive, which is precisely the chunked-feed shape required.
Operators who set StreamReadConstraints.maxNumberLength expecting it to cap memory per number value do not get that guarantee; memory accumulates per concurrent connection and attacker-controlled concurrency can exhaust the JVM heap. The synchronous parsers (UTF8StreamJsonParser, ReaderBasedJsonParser) and the async parser operating on complete input are not affected.
Exploitation requires only the ability to stream data to a parsing endpoint; no privileges or user interaction are needed.
This issue affects com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core from version 2.15.0 through 2.18.7, from 2.19.0 through 2.21.3, and from 2.22.0 through 2.22.0, and tools.jackson.core:jackson-core from 3.0.0 through 3.1.3 and from 3.2.0 through 3.2.0. Versions prior to 2.15.0 are not affected, because StreamReadConstraints -- which defines the maxNumberLength setting -- was first introduced in jackson-core 2.15.0, so no such constraint exists to be bypassed in earlier releases. Note that GHSA-r7wm-3cxj-wff9 states the affected 2.x range without a lower bound. (CVE-2026-68494)
Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the tested product security advisory.
Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.
Solution
Run 'dnf update jackson-core --releasever 2023.12.20260817' or or 'dnf update --advisory ALAS2023-2026-2067 --releasever 2023.12.20260817' to update your system.See Also
https://alas.aws.amazon.com//AL2023/ALAS2023-2026-2067.html
https://alas.aws.amazon.com/faqs.html
Plugin Details
Severity: High
ID: 337219
File Name: al2023_ALAS2023-2026-2067.nasl
Version: 1.2
Type: Local
Agent: unix
Published: 8/18/2026
Updated: 8/25/2026
Supported Sensors: Agentless Assessment, Continuous Assessment, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Frictionless Assessment AWS, Nessus Agent, Tenable Cloud Security, Tenable Self-Hosted Container Security, Nessus
Risk Information
VPR
Risk Factor: Low
Score: 3
Percentile: 23.67
CVSS v2
Risk Factor: High
Base Score: 7.8
Temporal Score: 5.8
Vector: CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C
CVSS Score Source: CVE-2026-68494
CVSS v3
Risk Factor: High
Base Score: 7.5
Temporal Score: 6.5
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
CVSS v4
Risk Factor: High
Base Score: 8.7
Threat Score: 6.6
Threat Vector: CVSS:4.0/E:U
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Vulnerability Information
CPE: cpe:/o:amazon:linux:2023, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:jackson-core
Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/AmazonLinux/release, Host/AmazonLinux/rpm-list
Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available
Patch Publication Date: 8/17/2026
Vulnerability Publication Date: 8/4/2026
Reference Information
CVE: CVE-2026-18401, CVE-2026-68494