Process crash via unterminated empty-string buffer
Published May 21, 2025 · Updated Nov 3, 2025
Heap-buffer overflow in jqlang jq 1.7.1 and earlier allows attackers to crash the process via an empty-string formatting path. jvp_string_empty_new leaves the empty string's data without a trailing null byte, so jv_string_vfmt passes an unterminated buffer to printf formatting that reads beyond its heap allocation. Exploitation requires control of a jq program that reaches empty-string indexing, and the demonstrated consequence is a jq process abort rather than data disclosure or code execution.
Summary
What happened
Heap-buffer overflow in jqlang jq 1.7.1 and earlier allows attackers to crash the process via an empty-string formatting path. jvp_string_empty_new leaves the empty string's data without a trailing null byte, so jv_string_vfmt passes an unterminated buffer to printf formatting that reads beyond its heap allocation. Exploitation requires control of a jq program that reaches empty-string indexing, and the demonstrated consequence is a jq process abort rather than data disclosure or code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-48060
- Published
- May 21, 2025
- Updated
- Nov 3, 2025
- Vendor
- jqlang
- Product
- jq
- Classifications
- CWE-787, CWE-121, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 21, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 3, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=<= 1.7.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- GHSA-p7rr-28xf-3m5w testcaseproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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