CVE-2026-29036 HIGH

CVE-2026-29036: cJSON 1.7.19 Wrong-Key Modification via JSON Pointer Escape Decoding

Vendor Davegamble
Product cJSON
Weakness CWE-706
Published August 11, 2026
Last update August 11, 2026

CVSS base score

8.7/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required None
User interaction None
Confidentiality
Integrity

CVSS vector

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

What the vulnerability does

01Description

cJSON versions 1.5.0 through 1.7.19 contain an incorrectly-resolved name or reference vulnerability in the decode_pointer_inplace() function within cJSON_Utils.c that allows unauthenticated attackers to cause JSON Patch operations to target wrong object keys by supplying crafted JSON Pointer escape sequences (~0 or ~1) in patch paths. Attackers can submit malicious RFC 6902 JSON Patch input to applications using cJSONUtils_ApplyPatches() or cJSONUtils_ApplyPatchesCaseSensitive() to silently corrupt data or delete unintended keys, potentially bypassing authorization controls in applications that rely on JSON Patch for access-controlled data modification.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

August 11, 2026 CVE published