CVE-2026-68496: jackson-dataformats-binary: Smile parser does not enforce StreamReadConstraints.maxNameLength, enabling memory-exhaustion denial of service
The Smile parser in FasterXML jackson-dataformats-binary never invokes StreamReadConstraints.validateNameLength() when decoding JSON object property names, so the maxNameLength limit is not enforced for this format. SmileParser.handleLongFieldName() grows its internal name buffer through an unconstrained growArrayTo() call and performs no length validation. An attacker who can have a Smile document parsed may therefore embed a single property name of unbounded length; the parser buffers the whole name in memory before returning it, whatever maxNameLength is configured to. Because StreamReadConstraints.maxDocumentLength is also disabled by default, nothing else bounds the name under default settings, so the only limits are the attacker's upload capacity and available heap, leading to memory exhaustion and denial of service. No privileges beyond the ability to submit data to a parsing endpoint are required, and exploitation needs only that the bytes reach SmileFactory parsing, directly or through an ObjectMapper configured with the Smile module. jackson-core's own JSON parsers enforce maxNameLength incrementally during name decoding; this gap is specific to the binary formats. maxNameLength and validateNameLength were introduced in jackson-core 2.16.0, so releases before 2.16.0 do not contain the constraint that is left unenforced. This issue is tracked together with the CBOR parser defect in the same vendor advisory, GHSA-3v8f-v6vx-fmrm, which covers both binary formats. The Smile parser defect (jackson-dataformats-binary issue #726) is CVE-2026-68496; the CBOR parser defect (issue #725) is assigned CVE-2026-68495.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-smileto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 2.18.10 - Upgrade
Upgrade
tools.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-smileto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 3.1.6
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which deployments are exposed?
Deployments are exposed when attacker-controlled bytes can reach SmileFactory parsing, either directly or through an ObjectMapper configured with the Smile module. The issue is specific to Smile parsing rather than jackson-core JSON parsers.
Does configuring maxNameLength protect Smile parsing endpoints?
No. The Smile parser does not invoke the name-length validation, so a configured StreamReadConstraints.maxNameLength is not enforced for Smile object property names.
What does an attacker need to exploit this issue?
An attacker needs only the ability to submit a Smile document to an endpoint that parses it. No privileges or user interaction are required.
Are default settings bounded by another document-size limit?
No. StreamReadConstraints.maxDocumentLength is disabled by default, so under default settings the property-name size is limited only by the attacker's upload capacity and the available heap.