# CVE-2026-33947: jqlang jq uncontrolled recursion in path functions

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-33947-jqlang-jq-uncontrolled-recursion-in-path-functions  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-04-13. Updated: 2026-05-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-33947 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.2 · Published 2026-04-13

jq is a widely used command-line tool and library for processing and transforming JSON data. A vulnerability in how it handles data paths allows an attacker to provide a specially crafted JSON file that causes the program to crash immediately. This can be used to disrupt services, web applications, or automated pipelines that rely on jq to process user-supplied information.

Technologies: [Jqlang Jq](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/jq). Vendors: [Jqlang](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/jqlang).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-33947 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-33947 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-33947?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.2, published 13 April 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** jqlang jq <= 1.8.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-33947?** A patch was published on 2026-04-13: Fixed in commit fb59f1491058d58bdc3e8dd28f1773d1ac690a1f Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-33947 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-33947?** Check whether you run Jqlang Jq. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The jv_setpath(), jv_getpath(), and delpaths_sorted() functions in src/jv_aux.c use unbounded recursion where the depth is determined by the length of a caller-supplied path array. While jq has a MAX_PARSING_DEPTH to protect the initial JSON parsing stage, these runtime functions lacked similar enforcement. An attacker can bypass parser limits by providing a flat array (e.g., ~65,000 integers) that, when used as a path argument in a jq filter, exhausts the C call stack and triggers a segmentation fault (SIGSEGV). This affects both the jq CLI and applications embedding libjq. The issue is fixed in commit fb59f149 by introducing a MAX_PATH_DEPTH limit of 10,000.

## Affected products

- jqlang jq <= 1.8.1

## Timeline

- 2026-04-13: advisory: GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-xwrw-4f8h-rjvg published
- 2026-04-13: disclosed
- 2026-04-13: patched: Fixed in commit fb59f1491058d58bdc3e8dd28f1773d1ac690a1f

## References

- [https://github.com/jqlang/jq/commit/fb59f1491058d58bdc3e8dd28f1773d1ac690a1f](https://github.com/jqlang/jq/commit/fb59f1491058d58bdc3e8dd28f1773d1ac690a1f)
- [https://github.com/jqlang/jq/security/advisories/GHSA-xwrw-4f8h-rjvg](https://github.com/jqlang/jq/security/advisories/GHSA-xwrw-4f8h-rjvg)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/16/1](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/16/1)

## Related threats

- [jqlang jq integer overflow in jvp_string_append on 32-bit systems](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-54679-jqlang-jq-integer-overflow-in-jvp-string-append-on-32-bit-systems)
- [jqlang jq heap out-of-bounds write in --rawfile processing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-49839-jqlang-jq-heap-out-of-bounds-write-in-rawfile-processing)
- [jqlang jq Denial of Service via Stack Exhaustion in Structural Comparison](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-47770-jqlang-jq-denial-of-service-via-stack-exhaustion-in-structural)
- [jqlang jq uncontrolled recursion in module loader](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44777-jqlang-jq-uncontrolled-recursion-in-module-loader)
- [jqlang jq stack overflow in jv_object_merge_recursive](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-43896-jqlang-jq-stack-overflow-in-jv-object-merge-recursive)