# CVE-2023-49355: Memory corruption in n/a

> A one-byte out-of-bounds write in jq's decToString function allows attackers to cause memory corruption via crafted scientific notation input.

- **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 Dec 2023
- **Updated:** 9 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2023-49355, GHSA-4c3j-f924-rc7v

## What is CVE-2023-49355?

CVE-2023-49355 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 11 Dec 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

decToString in decNumber/decNumber.c in jq 88f01a7 has a one-byte out-of-bounds write via the " []-1.2e-1111111111" input. NOTE: this is not the same as CVE-2023-50246. The CVE-2023-50246 71c2ab5 reference mentions -10E-1000010001, which is not in normalized scientific notation.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-49355?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Jqlang Jq.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-49355?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-49355 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-49355 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2026-32316](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32316/): jq: Integer overflow in jvp_string_append() allows Heap-based Buffer Overflow (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2024-53427](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53427/): Memory corruption in jq (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2025-48060](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48060/): AddressSanitizer: stack-buffer-overflow in jq_fuzz_execute (jv_string_vfmt) (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2026-49839](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-49839/): jq --rawfile invalid-state reuse after String too long causes heap-buffer-overflow (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2026-54679](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54679/): jq: potential integer overflow in jvp_string_append (medium 6.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-49355 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-49355 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 11 Dec 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-49355 exists.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2023-49355/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49355/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-49355
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-49355
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-49355

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49355/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.