📄 Description (English)
jq is a command-line JSON processor. In 1.8.1 and earlier, the jq bytecode VM's data stack tracks its allocation size in a signed int. When the stack grows beyond ≈1 GiB (via deeply nested generator forks), the doubling arithmetic overflows. The wrapped value is passed to realloc and then used for a memmove with attacker-influenced offsets.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2026-41257 is a critical integer overflow vulnerability in jq versions 1.8.1 and earlier affecting the bytecode VM's data stack management. When processing deeply nested generator forks exceeding ~1 GiB, signed integer arithmetic overflows, leading to heap corruption via realloc and memmove operations with attacker-controlled offsets. This vulnerability enables remote code execution through specially crafted JSON inputs, posing significant risk to organizations using jq for data processing pipelines.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 26, 2026 04:32
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi organizations in financial services (SAMA-regulated banks), government agencies (NCA, NCSC), and energy sector (ARAMCO, downstream operators) face significant risk if jq is used in data processing pipelines, API gateways, or log analysis systems. Telecom operators (STC, Mobily, Zain) processing customer data through jq-based ETL processes are particularly vulnerable. Healthcare institutions using jq for HIPAA-equivalent data handling and government ministries processing sensitive citizen data are at elevated risk. The vulnerability's remote exploitability via JSON inputs makes it especially dangerous in cloud and containerized environments prevalent in Saudi digital transformation initiatives.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking and Financial Services
Government and Public Administration
Energy and Utilities
Telecommunications
Healthcare
Cloud Service Providers
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
7.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all systems running jq versions ≤1.8.1 using: jq --version
2. Audit jq usage in production environments, particularly in API gateways, data pipelines, and log processing systems
3. Implement input validation to reject JSON payloads with excessive nesting depth (>100 levels)
4. Deploy network segmentation to restrict jq process access
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Upgrade to jq 1.8.2 or later when available (monitor jqlang/jq GitHub releases)
2. For systems unable to patch immediately, implement strict input size limits (max 100MB JSON)
3. Run jq processes with minimal privileges and in sandboxed containers
COMPENSATING CONTROLS:
1. Implement WAF rules to detect and block deeply nested JSON structures (>50 nesting levels)
2. Deploy memory limits on jq processes (ulimit -v) to prevent heap exhaustion
3. Monitor for abnormal memory allocation patterns and process crashes
4. Use AppArmor/SELinux profiles to restrict jq syscall access
5. Implement rate limiting on JSON processing endpoints
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor for jq process crashes with SIGSEGV signals
2. Alert on JSON payloads with nesting depth >100 levels
3. Track memory allocation spikes in jq processes exceeding 500MB
4. Log all jq command executions with input source tracking
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تحديد جميع الأنظمة التي تشغل إصدارات jq ≤1.8.1 باستخدام: jq --version
2. تدقيق استخدام jq في بيئات الإنتاج، خاصة في بوابات API وخطوط معالجة البيانات
3. تطبيق التحقق من صحة المدخلات لرفض حمولات JSON ذات التداخل المفرط (>100 مستوى)
4. نشر تقسيم الشبكة لتقييد وصول عملية jq
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. الترقية إلى jq 1.8.2 أو إصدار أحدث عند توفره
2. للأنظمة غير القادرة على التصحيح فوراً، تطبيق حدود صارمة لحجم المدخلات (100 ميجابايت كحد أقصى)
3. تشغيل عمليات jq بأقل الامتيازات وفي حاويات معزولة
الضوابط البديلة:
1. تطبيق قواعد WAF للكشف عن هياكل JSON المتداخلة بعمق وحجبها
2. نشر حدود الذاكرة على عمليات jq
3. مراقبة أنماط تخصيص الذاكرة غير الطبيعية
4. استخدام ملفات تعريف AppArmor/SELinux
5. تطبيق تحديد معدل على نقاط نهاية معالجة JSON
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
ECC 2024 A.14.2.1 - Secure development policy
ECC 2024 A.12.2.1 - Monitoring and logging of access
🔵 SAMA CSF
ID.RA-1 - Asset management and vulnerability identification
PR.IP-12 - Software development security practices
DE.CM-1 - Detection and analysis of anomalies
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.12.2.1 - Monitoring and logging
A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
A.14.2.1 - Secure development policy
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
Requirement 6.2 - Security patches and updates
Requirement 11.2 - Vulnerability scanning
🔗 References & Sources 2
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
jqlang:jq