CVE-2023-50268 jq has stack-based buffer overflow in decNaNs
A stack-based buffer overflow in jq's decNumber implementation allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2023-50268?
CVE-2023-50268 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in jqlang jq, published on 13 Dec 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
jq is a command-line JSON processor. Version 1.7 is vulnerable to stack-based buffer overflow in builds using decNumber. Version 1.7.1 contains a patch for this issue.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-50268?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Jqlang Jq.
How do I fix CVE-2023-50268?
Upgrade to a fixed version.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2023-50268 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-50268 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in jqlang jq
- CVE-2026-32316 jq: Integer overflow in jvp_string_append() allows Heap-based Buffer Overflow
- CVE-2024-53427 Memory corruption in jq
- CVE-2025-48060 AddressSanitizer: stack-buffer-overflow in jq_fuzz_execute (jv_string_vfmt)
- CVE-2023-49355 Memory corruption in n/a
- CVE-2026-49839 jq --rawfile invalid-state reuse after String too long causes heap-buffer-overflow
Sources
Also known as ALPINE-CVE-2023-50268, BELL-CVE-2023-50268, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-50268, GHSA-7hmr-442f-qc8j, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-50268.