CVE-2017-16516
In the yajl-ruby gem 1.3.0 for Ruby, when a crafted JSON file is supplied to Yajl::Parser.new.parse, the whole ruby process crashes with a SIGABRT in the yajl_string_decode function in yajl_encode.c.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (3.80%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
In the yajl-ruby gem 1.3.0 for Ruby, when a crafted JSON file is supplied to Yajl::Parser.new.parse, the whole ruby process crashes with a SIGABRT in the yajl_string_decode function in yajl_encode.c. This results in the whole ruby process terminating and potentially a denial of service.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- EPSS
- 3.80% probability · 90th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-134
- Affected
- yajl-ruby project/yajl-ruby · debian/debian linux
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 3.8% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- https://github.com/brianmario/yajl-ruby/issues/176Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2017/11/msg00010.htmlThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/07/msg00013.html
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00003.html
- https://rubygems.org/gems/yajl-rubyThird Party Advisory
- https://github.com/brianmario/yajl-ruby/issues/176Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2017/11/msg00010.htmlThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/07/msg00013.html
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00003.html
- https://rubygems.org/gems/yajl-rubyThird Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.