Algorithmic Complexity Affecting cjson package, versions *


Severity

Recommended
medium

Based on Ubuntu security rating.

Threat Intelligence

EPSS
0.43% (36th percentile)

Do your applications use this vulnerable package?

In a few clicks we can analyze your entire application and see what components are vulnerable in your application, and suggest you quick fixes.

Test your applications
  • Snyk IDSNYK-UBUNTU2204-CJSON-18430039
  • published29 Aug 2026
  • disclosed29 Jul 2026

Introduced: 29 Jul 2026

CVE-2026-67216  (opens in a new tab)
CWE-407  (opens in a new tab)

How to fix?

There is no fixed version for Ubuntu:22.04 cjson.

NVD Description

Note: Versions mentioned in the description apply only to the upstream cjson package and not the cjson package as distributed by Ubuntu. See How to fix? for Ubuntu:22.04 relevant fixed versions and status.

cJSON through 1.7.19 contains an inefficient algorithmic complexity flaw in cJSON_Compare(). When comparing objects, the function recurses into each shared subtree twice, once in each direction, with no depth guard, making the running time exponential in nesting depth. A small, deeply nested document of a few hundred bytes (depth around 40) compared for equality consumes hours of CPU, and the cost roughly doubles with each additional level of nesting. An application that calls cJSON_Compare() on attacker-influenced JSON that is structurally equal to a reference document is exposed to a denial-of-service condition.

CVSS Base Scores

version 3.1