Memory access or crash via malformed array index
Published Sep 3, 2025 · Updated Sep 3, 2025
Out-of-bounds access in cJSON 1.5.0 through 1.7.18 allows remote attackers to read unintended memory or crash applications via JSON pointers. In cJSON_Utils.c, decode_array_index_from_pointer tests pointer[0] rather than each current character, so a value such as 0A is computed as array index 17 instead of being rejected. Exposure requires an embedding application to enable cJSON_Utils and pass attacker-controlled pointer strings; the published proof of concept demonstrates a segmentation-fault crash.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds access in cJSON 1.5.0 through 1.7.18 allows remote attackers to read unintended memory or crash applications via JSON pointers. In cJSON_Utils.c, decode_array_index_from_pointer tests pointer[0] rather than each current character, so a value such as 0A is computed as array index 17 instead of being rejected. Exposure requires an embedding application to enable cJSON_Utils and pass attacker-controlled pointer strings; the published proof of concept demonstrates a segmentation-fault crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-57052
- Published
- Sep 3, 2025
- Updated
- Sep 3, 2025
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-129, CWE-125
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 3, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 3, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
Published CVSS scores
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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.
Public exploit references
- cJSON array-index parsing proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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