Process crash via VM stack size overflow
Published May 11, 2026 · Updated May 11, 2026
Integer overflow in jq 1.8.1 and earlier allows context-dependent attackers to crash the process via deeply nested generator forks. The stack_reallocate function stores an aligned, doubled VM stack size in a signed int; overflow feeds a wrapped size to realloc and attacker-influenced offsets to memmove. A user or automation must execute an attacker-influenced jq program; the advisory reports a demonstrated allocation-failure abort and an untested out-of-bounds-write path.
Summary
What happened
Integer overflow in jq 1.8.1 and earlier allows context-dependent attackers to crash the process via deeply nested generator forks. The stack_reallocate function stores an aligned, doubled VM stack size in a signed int; overflow feeds a wrapped size to realloc and attacker-influenced offsets to memmove. A user or automation must execute an attacker-influenced jq program; the advisory reports a demonstrated allocation-failure abort and an untested out-of-bounds-write path.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-41257
- Published
- May 11, 2026
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- jqlang
- Product
- jq
- Classifications
- CWE-787, CWE-190
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 11, 2026Record 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=<= 1.8.1
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.
Public exploit references
- Deeply nested generator-fork reproducerproof of concept · demonstrated
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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