Oj (Optimized JSON) is a JSON parser and Object marshaller packaged as a Ruby gem. In versions prior to 3.17.3, Oj::Doc#each_child, when invoked recursively over a deeply nested JSON document, overflows a fixed-size stack buffer and aborts the process, leading to DoS. In a two-step chain in ext/oj/fast.c, doc_each_child increments doc->where past the where_path[MAX_STACK = 100] array with no bounds check and never restores it (the doc->where– is missing), so calling each_child recursively from inside the yield block drives doc->where beyond the array. On the next entry the function copies the path into the 800-byte stack-local buffer save_path[MAX_STACK] using wlen = doc->where - doc->where_path, so when the previous recursive call left doc->where past where_path[100] the wlen exceeds MAX_STACK and the memcpy overflows save_path on the C stack; because the Oj::Doc parser imposes no JSON nesting-depth limit (relying on a C-stack pressure check), deeply nested attacker input reaches this path. This issue has been fixed in version 3.17.3.
Weakness
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
Affected Software
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruby-oj | Ubuntu | questing | * |
Potential Mitigations
- Assume all input is malicious. Use an “accept known good” input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.
- When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, “boat” may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as “red” or “blue.”
- Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code’s environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.
- To reduce the likelihood of introducing an out-of-bounds read, ensure that you validate and ensure correct calculations for any length argument, buffer size calculation, or offset. Be especially careful of relying on a sentinel (i.e. special character such as NUL) in untrusted inputs.