CVE-2021-46509Public exploit

Local stack overflow via snquote

Published Jan 27, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Stack overflow in Cesanta MJS 2.20.0 allows local users to crash the interpreter via crafted JavaScript that reaches snquote. The snquote routine processes attacker-controlled values without bounding recursion, exhausting the native thread stack as shown by the upstream AddressSanitizer trace. Exploitation requires execution of the crafted script in the MJS interpreter and results in process termination, with no evidence of remote reachability or data modification.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.74%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack overflow in Cesanta MJS 2.20.0 allows local users to crash the interpreter via crafted JavaScript that reaches snquote. The snquote routine processes attacker-controlled values without bounding recursion, exhausting the native thread stack as shown by the upstream AddressSanitizer trace. Exploitation requires execution of the crafted script in the MJS interpreter and results in process termination, with no evidence of remote reachability or data modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-46509
Published
Jan 27, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-674, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 27, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-674Improperly Controlled Recursion
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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