How severe is CVE-2017-16516?

CVE-2017-16516 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-16516 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-16516?

CVE-2017-16516 primarily affects Yajl-ruby Project Yajl-ruby. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-16516?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2017-16516 published?

CVE-2017-16516 was published on 2017-11-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-16516

CVE-2017-16516 is a high-severity vulnerability in Yajl-ruby Project Yajl-ruby with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-134.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (89th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-134
Affected product: Yajl-ruby Project Yajl-ruby
Published: 2017-11-03
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In the yajl-ruby gem 1.3.0 for Ruby, when a crafted JSON file is supplied to Yajl::Parser.new.parse, the whole ruby process crashes with a SIGABRT in the yajl_string_decode function in yajl_encode.c. This results in the whole ruby process terminating and potentially a denial of service.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-16516?: In the yajl-ruby gem 1.3.0 for Ruby, when a crafted JSON file is supplied to Yajl::Parser.new.parse, the whole ruby process crashes with a SIGABRT in the yajl_string_decode function in yajl_encode.c. This results in the whole ruby process terminating and potentially a denial of service.
How severe is CVE-2017-16516?: CVE-2017-16516 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-16516 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-16516?: CVE-2017-16516 primarily affects Yajl-ruby Project Yajl-ruby. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-16516?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2017-16516 published?: CVE-2017-16516 was published on 2017-11-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:yajl-ruby_project:yajl-ruby:1.3.0:*:*:*:*:ruby:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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