CVE-2025-9403Public exploit

Local test-runner abort via malformed Unicode escape

Published Aug 25, 2025 · Updated Aug 25, 2025

Reachable assertion in jqlang jq 1.0 through 1.6 allows local users to abort a test-suite process via malformed JSON input. In run_jq_tests, malformed Unicode escapes produce unequal expected and reparsed values, causing the jv_equal assertion to fail and raise SIGABRT. Exploitation requires local invocation of the --run-tests option, so the observed consequence is termination of that test process rather than disruption of ordinary jq parsing.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Reachable assertion in jqlang jq 1.0 through 1.6 allows local users to abort a test-suite process via malformed JSON input. In run_jq_tests, malformed Unicode escapes produce unequal expected and reparsed values, causing the jv_equal assertion to fail and raise SIGABRT. Exploitation requires local invocation of the --run-tests option, so the observed consequence is termination of that test process rather than disruption of ordinary jq parsing.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-9403
Published
Aug 25, 2025
Updated
Aug 25, 2025
Vendor
jqlang
Product
jq
Classifications
CWE-617
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 25, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 25, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=1.0
  2. Affected versionversion=1.1
  3. Affected versionversion=1.2
  4. Affected versionversion=1.3
  5. Affected versionversion=1.4
  6. Affected versionversion=1.5
  7. Affected versionversion=1.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

jqlang · jqversion=1.0; version=1.1; version=1.2; version=1.3; version=1.4; version=1.5; version=1.6

Published CVSS scores

3.3UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-617Reachable Assertion

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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