Main Vulnerability Database Vulnerabilities #VU125832

Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity in jq - CVE-2026-40164

Published: April 13, 2026 / Updated: August 19, 2026

Vulnerability identifier: #VU125832

CSH Severity: Medium

CVSS v4: 8.7 [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]

CVE-ID: CVE-2026-40164

CWE-ID: CWE-407

Exploitation vector: Remote access

Exploit availability: Public exploit is available

Vulnerability details

The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to perform a denial of service (DoS) attack.

The vulnerability exists due to inefficient algorithmic complexity within hardcoded MurmurHash3 seed. A remote attacker can cause a denial of service condition on the target system.

Affected software

jq
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro for Rancher
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder for x86_64
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder for Power, little endian
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder for ARM 64
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder for IBM z Systems
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM 64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, little endian
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems
Anolis OS
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - AUS
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - TUS
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM 64 - Extended Update Support
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, little endian - Extended Update Support
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder for x86_64 - Extended Update Support
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder for Power, little endian - Extended Update Support
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder for ARM 64 - Extended Update Support
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support
Ubuntu
Basesystem Module
openEuler
Fedora
LANTIME Operating System Firmware (LTOS)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server for Power LE - Update Services for SAP Solutions
jq (Ubuntu package)
jq (Red Hat package)
jq-devel
jq
libjq-devel
jq-debugsource
libjq1
libjq1-debuginfo
jq-debuginfo
jq-help
jq-doc
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform

How to mitigate CVE-2026-40164

Install update from vendor's website.

jq - update to 1.8.2
LANTIME Operating System Firmware (LTOS) - update to 7.10.013
jq (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 1.3-1.1ubuntu1.1+esm4, 1.5+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1+esm4, 1.5+dfsg-2ubuntu0.1~esm2, 1.5+dfsg-2ubuntu0.1~esm3, 1.6-1ubuntu0.20.04.1+esm2, 1.6-1ubuntu0.20.04.1+esm3, 1.6-2.1ubuntu3.2, 1.7.1-3ubuntu0.24.04.2, 1.8.1-3ubuntu1.1, 1.8.1-4ubuntu2
jq (Red Hat package) - addressed in versions 1.5-12.el8_4.5, 1.6-3.el8_6.2, 1.6-6.el8_8.4, 1.6-12.el8_10, 1.6-12.el9_0.3, 1.6-15.el9_2.3, 1.6-16.el9_4.2, 1.6-17.el9_6.4, 1.6-19.el9_7.0.2, 1.7.1-8.el10_0.3
jq-devel - addressed in versions 1.6-19, 1.8.1-7
jq - addressed in versions 1.6-19, 1.8.1-7
libjq-devel - update to 1.6-150000.3.20.1
jq - update to 1.6-150000.3.20.1
jq-debugsource - update to 1.6-150000.3.20.1
libjq1 - update to 1.6-150000.3.20.1
libjq1-debuginfo - update to 1.6-150000.3.20.1
jq-debuginfo - update to 1.6-150000.3.20.1
jq - update to 1.8.0-3
jq-help - update to 1.8.0-3
jq-devel - update to 1.8.0-3
jq-debugsource - update to 1.8.0-3
jq-debuginfo - update to 1.8.0-3
jq - update to 1.8.1-3.fc44
jq-doc - update to 1.8.1-7
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform - update to 4.12.92

Links to Public Exploits and PoC-codes

Exploit #12580 - Algorithmic complexity DoS via hardcoded MurmurHash3 seed (April 13, 2026)

External References

https://github.com/jqlang/jq/security/advisories/GHSA-wwj8-gxm6-jc29