# CVE-2020-36518: Deeply nested json in jackson-databind > Attackers can cause a denial of service via stack overflow by sending deeply nested JSON objects to applications using this Java library. - **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 11 Mar 2022 - **Updated:** 27 Aug 2025 - **Also known as:** ALSA-2023:2312, ALSA-2024:3061, CLEANSTART-2026-TR04236, CLSA-2025-1760018305, DEBIAN-CVE-2020-36518, DLA-2990-1, GHSA-57j2-w4cx-62h2, MINI-hjq7-v68j-gm46, RHSA-2023:2312, RHSA-2024:3061, RLSA-2024:3061, ROOT-APP-MAVEN-CVE-2020-36518, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-36518, openSUSE-SU-2024:12096-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:12100-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:12101-1 ## What is CVE-2020-36518? CVE-2020-36518 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 11 Mar 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description jackson-databind before 2.13.0 allows a Java StackOverflow exception and denial of service via a large depth of nested objects. Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-36518? 4 open source packages ship an affected version, including com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind. It affects 36 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind` | Maven | All versions | 2.12.6.1 | | `com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind` | Maven | All versions | 2.12.6.1 | | `com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind` | Maven | From 2.13.0 | 2.13.2.1 | | `com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind` | Maven | From 2.13.0 | 2.13.2.1 | | `apache-commons-collections` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 3.2.2-10.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `apache-commons-lang` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.6-21.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `apache-commons-net` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 3.6-3.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `bea-stax-api` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.2.0-16.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `fasterxml-oss-parent` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 49-1.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `glassfish-fastinfoset` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.2.13-9.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `glassfish-jaxb-api` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.2.12-8.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `glassfish-jaxb-core` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.2.11-12.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `glassfish-jaxb-runtime` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.2.11-12.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `glassfish-jaxb-txw2` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.2.11-12.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jackson-annotations` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.14.2-1.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jackson-bom` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.14.2-1.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jackson-core` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.14.2-1.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jackson-databind` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.14.2-1.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jackson-jaxrs-json-provider` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.14.2-1.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jackson-jaxrs-providers` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.14.2-1.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jackson-module-jaxb-annotations` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.14.2-2.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jackson-modules-base` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.14.2-2.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jackson-parent` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.14-1.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `jakarta-commons-httpclient` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:3.1-28.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `javassist` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 3.18.1-8.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `javassist-javadoc` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 3.18.1-8.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `pki-servlet-engine` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:9.0.62-1.module_el8.10.0+3791+e0637953 | | `relaxngDatatype` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2011.1-7.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `slf4j` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.7.25-4.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `slf4j-jdk14` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.7.25-4.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `stax-ex` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.7.7-8.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `velocity` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.7-24.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `xalan-j2` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.7.1-38.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `xerces-j2` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.11.0-34.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `xml-commons-apis` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.4.01-25.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `xml-commons-resolver` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.2-26.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `xmlstreambuffer` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1.5.4-8.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `xsom` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 0-19.20110809svn.module_el8.5.0+2577+9e95fe00 | | `pki-jackson-databind` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 2.14.1-2.el9 | | `apache-commons-collections` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:3.2.2-10.module+el8.10.0+20993+d0f024b0 | Products: Debian Debian Linux, Fasterxml Jackson-Databind, Netapp Active Iq Unified Manager, Netapp Cloud Insights Acquisition Unit, Netapp Oncommand Insight, Netapp Oncommand Workflow Automation, Netapp Snap Creator Framework, Oracle Big Data Spatial and Graph, Oracle Coherence, Oracle Commerce Platform, Oracle Communications Billing and Revenue Management, Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Binding Support Function, Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Console, Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Network Repository Function, Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Network Slice Selection Function, Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Security Edge Protection Proxy, Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Service Communication Proxy, Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Unified Data Repository, Oracle Financial Services Analytical Applications Infrastructure, Oracle Financial Services Behavior Detection Platform and 16 more. ## How do I fix CVE-2020-36518? Upgrade com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind to a fixed version for your release line: 2.12.6.1 or 2.13.2.1. ## Is CVE-2020-36518 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-36518 in the wild and no public exploit code. Public exploit code: - Reproduction of CVE-2020-36518 in Spring Boot 2.5.10 (github_poc): https://github.com/ghillert/boot-jackson-cve ## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux - [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2020-36518 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2020-36518 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 11 Mar 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-36518 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 2.12.6.1 - com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 2.12.6.1 - com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind (Maven): affected from 2.13.0; fixed in 2.13.2.1 - com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind (Maven): affected from 2.13.0; fixed in 2.13.2.1 Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36518/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36518/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-36518 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36518 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-36518 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36518/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.