CVE-2026-90473

Description

A flaw was found in msgpack-java. An integer overflow vulnerability exists in the MessageUnpacker.skipValue() function when processing MAP32 containers with a large number of elements. A remote attacker can exploit this by supplying a MAP32 element count that causes an integer wrap-around, leading to a desynchronization of the parser cursor. This can result in attacker-controlled data being returned in place of legitimate fields, potentially leading to information disclosure.

Statement

This vulnerability is rated as Moderate severity because exploitation requires an application to deserialize maliciously crafted MessagePack streams, with the impact restricted to parser desynchronization and potential data misinterpretation rather than system compromise or code execution. In Red Hat integration environments such as Red Hat JBoss Fuse, the msgpack-core library is used for payload serialization across services. Exposure is limited to scenarios where untrusted binary input is accepted and subsequently processed through value-skipping routines on large map structures.

Mitigation

No upstream fix is currently available (msgpack/msgpack-java issue #1014 remains open, with no fixed release). Avoid calling MessageUnpacker.skipValue() on untrusted MessagePack data, or validate MAP32/ARRAY32 element counts before processing (MAP16/ARRAY16 element counts cannot overflow). Upstream suggests an overflow-safe multiplyExact-based calculation throwing MessageSizeException in MessageUnpacker.skipValue().

Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details

Info alert:Important note

CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).

The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.

CVSS v3 Score Breakdown

Red HatNVDcve.org
Base Score5.3N/A5.3
Attack VectorNetworkN/ANetwork
Attack ComplexityLowN/ALow
Privileges RequiredNoneN/ANone
User InteractionNoneN/ANone
ScopeUnchangedN/AUnchanged
ConfidentialityLowN/ANone
Integrity ImpactNoneN/ALow
Availability ImpactNoneN/ANone

Vector

Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Understanding the Weakness (CWE)

Availability

Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory); DoS: Instability

This weakness can generally lead to undefined behavior and therefore crashes. When the calculated result is used for resource allocation, this weakness can cause too many (or too few) resources to be allocated, possibly enabling crashes if the product requests more resources than can be provided. If the calculated result involves time values, then the product might crash when it encounters a time that is less than the previously-calculated time.

Integrity

Technical Impact: Modify Memory

If the value in question is important to data (as opposed to flow), simple data corruption has occurred. Also, if the overflow/wraparound results in other conditions such as buffer overflows, further memory corruption may occur.

Confidentiality,Availability,Access Control

Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Bypass Protection Mechanism

This weakness can sometimes trigger buffer overflows, which can be used to execute arbitrary code. This is usually outside the scope of the product's implicit security policy.

Availability,Other

Technical Impact: Alter Execution Logic; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)

If the overflow/wraparound occurs in a loop index variable, this could cause the loop to terminate at the wrong time - too early, too late, or not at all (i.e., infinite loops). With too many iterations, some loops could consume too many resources such as memory, file handles, etc., possibly leading to a crash or other DoS.

Access Control

Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism

If integer values are used in security-critical decisions, such as calculating quotas or allocation limits, integer overflows can be used to cause an incorrect security decision.

Access Control

Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart

If integer values are used in time-based, security-critical decisions, such as calculating expiration times or determining whether an event occurs within a specific time or date range, to cause an incorrect security decision. The consequences could even include "self-DoS" if the overflow produces a time value that is not accounted for in protection mechanism logic [REF-1570].

Frequently Asked Questions

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