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jackson-databind has an array subtype allowlist bypass in BasicPolymorphicTypeValidator (allowIfSubTypeIsArray)

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Jun 16, 2026 in FasterXML/jackson-databind

Package

maven com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind (Maven)

Affected versions

>= 2.10.0, < 2.18.8
>= 2.19.0, < 2.21.4
>= 3.0.0, < 3.1.4

Patched versions

2.18.8
2.21.4
3.1.4
maven tools.jackson.core:jackson-databind (Maven)
>= 3.0.0, < 3.1.4
3.1.4

Description

Summary

BasicPolymorphicTypeValidator.Builder.allowIfSubTypeIsArray() allowlists any array type based only on clazz.isArray(), without validating the array's component (element) type against the configured allowlist. A PTV built with allowIfSubTypeIsArray() plus an explicit concrete-type allowlist therefore still permits EvilType[] even though EvilType is not allowlisted. When Jackson deserializes the elements and no per-element type IDs are present, it instantiates the component type directly with no further PTV check, bypassing the allowlist.

Impact

Applications using BasicPolymorphicTypeValidator with allowIfSubTypeIsArray() as a safeguard get no protection for concrete array component types; an attacker controlling JSON can instantiate non-allowlisted types via an array wrapper, re-opening the gadget-instantiation risk PTV is meant to prevent.

Affected / Patched (verified via git tag --contains)

  • 2.18 line: >= 2.10.0, < 2.18.8 -> fixed in 2.18.8
  • 2.19-2.21 line: >= 2.19.0, < 2.21.4 -> fixed in 2.21.4
  • 3.x line: >= 3.0.0, < 3.1.4 -> fixed in 3.1.4

PolymorphicTypeValidator was added in 2.10.0 so vulnerability N/A for versions prior to that.

Severity / CWE

Maintainer: significant. Reporter: HIGH. CWE-184 (Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs); related CWE-502.

Upstream fix

FasterXML/jackson-databind#5981; fix PR #5983 (24529da), 2.18 backport PR #5984 (01d1692). Released 2026-06-04 in 2.18.8 / 2.21.4 / 3.1.4.

Credits

Omkhar Arasaratnam (@omkhar) - finder.

References

@cowtowncoder cowtowncoder published to FasterXML/jackson-databind Jun 16, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Jun 23, 2026
Reviewed Jun 23, 2026

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(48th percentile)

Weaknesses

Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs

The product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are not allowed by policy or otherwise require other action to neutralize before additional processing takes place, but the list is incomplete. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-54513

GHSA ID

GHSA-rmj7-2vxq-3g9f

Source code

Credits

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