Description
cJSON through 1.7.19 applies RFC 6902 JSON Patch operations non-atomically in apply_patch() in cJSON_Utils.c. For a replace operation that is missing its value member, or a move operation whose destination path cannot be resolved, the existing target member is detached and deleted before the operation is fully validated, so the target document is mutated while cJSONUtils_ApplyPatches() or cJSONUtils_ApplyPatchesCaseSensitive() returns a failure status. An attacker who can supply the patch document can destroy addressable members of the target document even though the API reports that the patch failed, defeating the all-or-nothing behavior callers rely on to reject bad patches.
Published: 2026-07-29
Score: 6.9 Medium
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
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Remediation

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History

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 15:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description cJSON through 1.7.19 applies RFC 6902 JSON Patch operations non-atomically in apply_patch() in cJSON_Utils.c. For a replace operation that is missing its value member, or a move operation whose destination path cannot be resolved, the existing target member is detached and deleted before the operation is fully validated, so the target document is mutated while cJSONUtils_ApplyPatches() or cJSONUtils_ApplyPatchesCaseSensitive() returns a failure status. An attacker who can supply the patch document can destroy addressable members of the target document even though the API reports that the patch failed, defeating the all-or-nothing behavior callers rely on to reject bad patches.
Title cJSON JSON Patch Non-Atomic Application Destroys Data Before Validation
First Time appeared Davegamble
Davegamble cjson
Weaknesses CWE-696
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:davegamble:cjson:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Davegamble
Davegamble cjson
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 6.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Subscriptions

Davegamble Cjson
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-07-29T16:00:27.693Z

Reserved: 2026-07-28T19:20:19.157Z

Link: CVE-2026-67217

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-07-29T14:45:33.558Z

cve-icon NVD

No data.

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses