CVE-2026-110684: Cpanel::JSON::XS versions from 3.0202 before 4.80 for Perl leak memory and retain overloaded objects when encoding values as strings in encode_stringify

Severity: high (CVSS 8.1 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-10-19 · updated 2026-10-29
Weakness: CWE-401

Description

Cpanel::JSON::XS versions from 3.0202 before 4.80 for Perl leak memory and retain overloaded objects when encoding values as strings in encode_stringify. encode_stringify writes a value in its string form under allow_stringify, under convert_blessed for objects without TO_JSON, and under allow_bignum. For an array or hash object with a "" overload, and from 4.20 a scalar object, it takes an extra reference that is never released, so the object and everything it references are never freed. From 4.10 it also never frees its copy of the string. Repeatedly encoding data that contains such values grows process memory without bound.

Affected products

Cpanel-JSON-XS: from 3.0202 before 4.80 — fixed in 4.80

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Cpanel-JSON-XS 4.80. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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