DCMTK JSON reader uncontrolled recursion allows denial of service
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-674.
Summary
OFFIS DCMTK 3.7.0 is affected by uncontrolled recursion in the DICOM JSON reader, where mutual recursion between DcmJSONReader::parseDataSet(), DcmJSONReader::parseElement() and DcmJSONReader::parseSequence() has no depth limit (CWE-674). An unauthenticated local attacker can cause a denial of service by supplying a crafted DICOM JSON document with deeply nested sequence values, which exhausts the stack and crashes the process. The json2dcm tool and any service that converts untrusted DICOM JSON, such as DICOMweb payloads, are affected. Exploitation requires user interaction.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
Description from the CNA
Uncontrolled mutual recursion between DcmJSONReader::parseDataSet(), DcmJSONReader::parseElement() and DcmJSONReader::parseSequence() in dcmdata/libsrc/dcjsonrd.cc of OFFIS DCMTK 3.7.0 allows an attacker to cause a denial of service (stack exhaustion and process crash) via a crafted DICOM JSON document with deeply nested sequence (SQ) values. The json2dcm tool and any service that converts untrusted DICOM JSON (for example, DICOMweb payloads) with this reader are affected. The issue is fixed in commit cf955e64c35a1e07ba10698f639d5dcdec53b9d7.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for DCMTK. The issue is fixed in commit cf955e64c35a1e07ba10698f639d5dcdec53b9d7.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-08 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-44037
- 2026-10-08 Alias added: GHSA-w8m4-mhcj-8r75
- 2026-10-09 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-09 CVSS score added · Red Hat
References
Patch 1
Advisory 1
More OFFIS vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-10943 OFFIS DCMTK ofxml.cc parseFile heap-based overflow CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2025-08922 DCMTK dcm2img diybrpxt.h memory corruption CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2022-04568 DCMTK dcmqrscp dcmqrcnf.cc readPeerList null pointer dereference CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2020-18990 DCMTK dcmqrscp parseQuota stack-based overflow CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2024-22823 dcmnet in DCMTK before 3.6.9 has a segmentation fault via an invalid DIMSE message. CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.3
- TI-2019-16028 Out-of-bounds write in OFFIS.de DCMTK CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-44037 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-44037 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-w8m4-mhcj-8r75 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-44037 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences