CVE-2026-110685: Cpanel::JSON::XS versions before 4.80 for Perl leak the decoded arguments of a tagged value when its THAW method dies in decode_tag

Severity: critical (CVSS 9.1 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 before 4.80 for Perl leak the decoded arguments of a tagged value when its THAW method dies in decode_tag. With allow_tags, a tagged value's class name and argument array are decoded and passed to the class's THAW method. Both are released only after THAW returns, so a THAW that dies leaves the whole decoded argument structure allocated. Each rejected document leaks data of a size the sender chooses, so a process that catches the error and keeps running exhausts its memory.

Affected products

Cpanel-JSON-XS: 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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