CVE-2026-24825 Overview
CVE-2026-24825 is a memory leak vulnerability (CWE-401: Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime) affecting ydb-platform ydb, specifically within the contrib/libs/yajl modules. The vulnerability is associated with the program file yail_tree.C and impacts ydb versions through 24.4.4.2.
This memory management flaw occurs when the application fails to properly release allocated memory after it is no longer needed, leading to gradual resource exhaustion over time.
Critical Impact
Attackers can exploit this memory leak vulnerability over the network without authentication to cause service degradation and potential denial of service conditions in ydb database instances.
Affected Products
- ydb-platform ydb through version 24.4.4.2
- contrib/libs/yajl modules
- yail_tree.C program file
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-01-27 - CVE CVE-2026-24825 published to NVD
- 2026-01-27 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-24825
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability represents a classic memory leak condition where dynamically allocated memory is not properly freed after its effective lifetime has ended. In the context of the yajl (Yet Another JSON Library) modules within ydb, this typically occurs during JSON parsing operations where tree structures are built in memory.
When JSON data is processed through the affected yail_tree.C component, memory allocations for tree nodes and associated data structures may not be released when parsing completes or encounters errors. Over time, repeated operations cause memory consumption to grow unbounded, eventually exhausting available system resources.
The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means that remote attackers can trigger the memory leak by sending crafted JSON payloads to ydb services, accelerating resource exhaustion without requiring any authentication.
Root Cause
The root cause lies in the yail_tree.C file within the contrib/libs/yajl modules, where memory allocated for JSON tree structures is not properly released during or after parsing operations. This is a CWE-401 weakness pattern where cleanup routines either fail to execute under certain code paths, or where references to allocated memory are lost before deallocation can occur.
Common causes for this type of vulnerability include:
- Missing free() calls in error handling paths
- Premature function returns without cleanup
- Overwritten pointers causing memory reference loss
- Incomplete cleanup during recursive tree traversal
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based, allowing remote exploitation without authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:
- Connecting to the ydb service over the network
- Sending repeated JSON parsing requests with payloads designed to maximize memory allocation
- Observing gradual memory exhaustion on the target system
- Continuing until service degradation or denial of service occurs
The vulnerability affects availability by consuming memory resources, potentially impacting both the target system and downstream systems that depend on it.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24825
Indicators of Compromise
- Gradual increase in memory consumption by ydb processes over time
- Memory usage that does not decrease after processing completes
- System logs indicating out-of-memory conditions in ydb services
- Degraded performance of ydb database operations
Detection Strategies
- Monitor ydb process memory usage for abnormal growth patterns
- Implement alerting on memory thresholds for database processes
- Review application logs for memory allocation failures or warnings
- Deploy memory profiling tools to identify leak sources during testing
Monitoring Recommendations
- Establish baseline memory consumption metrics for ydb instances
- Configure automated alerts when memory usage exceeds defined thresholds
- Implement periodic service restarts as a temporary mitigation until patching
- Monitor network traffic for unusual JSON parsing request volumes
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24825
Immediate Actions Required
- Update ydb to a version beyond 24.4.4.2 that includes the memory leak fix
- Review the GitHub Pull Request #17570 for patch details
- Monitor memory usage on affected systems until patches are applied
- Consider implementing rate limiting on JSON parsing endpoints
Patch Information
The fix for this vulnerability is tracked in GitHub Pull Request #17570. Organizations should update their ydb installations to incorporate this fix. The patch addresses the memory management issue in the yail_tree.C file within the contrib/libs/yajl modules.
Workarounds
- Implement periodic scheduled restarts of ydb services to reclaim leaked memory
- Apply rate limiting to reduce the frequency of JSON parsing operations
- Monitor memory consumption and configure automatic service restarts when thresholds are exceeded
- Isolate ydb instances with resource limits (cgroups, container memory limits) to prevent system-wide impact
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
