CVE-2026-24001: jsdiff has a Denial of Service vulnerability in parsePatch and applyPatch

Published Jan 22, 2026
·
Updated

jsdiff is a JavaScript text differencing implementation. Prior to versions 8.0.3, 5.2.2, 4.0.4, and 3.5.1, attempting to parse a patch whose filename headers contain the line break characters \r, \u2028, or \u2029 can cause the parsePatch method to enter an infinite loop. It then consumes memory without limit until the process crashes due to running out of memory. Applications are therefore likely to be vulnerable to a denial-of-service attack if they call parsePatch with a user-provided patch as input. A large payload is not needed to trigger the vulnerability, so size limits on user input do not provide any protection. Furthermore, some applications may be vulnerable even when calling parsePatch on a patch generated by the application itself if the user is nonetheless able to control the filename headers (e.g. by directly providing the filenames of the files to be diffed). The applyPatch method is similarly affected if (and only if) called with a string representation of a patch as an argument, since under the hood it parses that string using parsePatch. Other methods of the library are unaffected. Finally, a second and lesser interdependent bug - a ReDOS - also exhibits when those same line break characters are present in a patch's patch header (also known as its "leading garbage"). A maliciously-crafted patch header of length n can take parsePatch O(n³) time to parse. Versions 8.0.3, 5.2.2, 4.0.4, and 3.5.1 contain a fix. As a workaround, do not attempt to parse patches that contain any of these characters: \r, \u2028, or \u2029.

Affected Software

9 affected components
npm/jsdiff<3.5.1
npm/jsdiff<4.0.4
npm/jsdiff<5.2.2
npm/jsdiff<8.0.3
Kpdecker Jsdiff Node.js<3.5.1
Kpdecker Jsdiff Node.js>=4.0.0<4.0.4
Kpdecker Jsdiff Node.js>=5.0.0<5.2.2
Kpdecker Jsdiff Node.js>=6.0.0<8.0.3
IBM API Connect V12 OnPrem<=All

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade jsdiff to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 8.0.3
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade jsdiff to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.2.2
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade jsdiff to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.0.4
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade jsdiff to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 3.5.1
  5. Configuration

    Implement a workaround by not calling jsdiff.parsePatch (or any path that ends up using it, e.g., applyPatch with a string patch) on patch data whose filename headers contain any of these characters: `\r`, `\u2028`, `\u2029`. Use validation to detect and reject such input before parsing.

    jsdiff (parsePatch) input patch filename/headers = reject/avoid patches containing \r, \u2028, or \u2029

Event History

Jan 22, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:23 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:23 AM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·03:01 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·03:15 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Jul 7, 2026
Data Sourced
via IBM·12:00 AM
DescriptionAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-24001?

CVE-2026-24001 has a severity rating that can lead to Denial of Service attacks.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-24001?

To fix CVE-2026-24001, you should upgrade jsdiff to versions 8.0.3, 5.2.2, or 4.0.4 or later.

3

What software is affected by CVE-2026-24001?

CVE-2026-24001 affects versions of jsdiff prior to 8.0.3, 5.2.2, and 4.0.4.

4

What kind of vulnerability is CVE-2026-24001?

CVE-2026-24001 is a Denial of Service vulnerability in the parsePatch and applyPatch functions of jsdiff.

5

Can I continue using an affected version of jsdiff while waiting for a fix for CVE-2026-24001?

It is not recommended to continue using an affected version of jsdiff due to the risk of Denial of Service attacks.

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