Uncontrolled Resource Consumption in spray-json when parsing decimal digit fields

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

7.5 · CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS

• CVE-2018-18853: 1.90% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 79.66 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Lightbend Spray spray-json through 1.3.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) because of Algorithmic Complexity during the parsing of a field composed of many decimal digits.

Published by the source

9 Nov 2018, 17:42 UTC

Last modified by the source

9 Jan 2023, 05:03 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:53 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-f94m-mqhr-mc29

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2018-18853

Advisory: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption in spray-json when parsing decimal digit fields
IDs: CVE-2018-18853, GHSA-f94m-mqhr-mc29
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2018-18853 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:53 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: io.spray:spray-json_2.12 1.3.5; io.spray:spray-json_2.10 1.3.5; io.spray:spray-json_2.11 1.3.5. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven io.spray:spray-json_2.12: affected < 1.3.5; fixed in 1.3.5
- Maven io.spray:spray-json_2.10: affected < 1.3.5; fixed in 1.3.5
- Maven io.spray:spray-json_2.11: affected < 1.3.5; fixed in 1.3.5

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven io.spray:spray-json_2.12: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven io.spray:spray-json_2.10: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven io.spray:spray-json_2.11: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on io.spray:spray-json_2.12, io.spray:spray-json_2.10, io.spray:spray-json_2.11.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-f94m-mqhr-mc29 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-f94m-mqhr-mc29 lists affected ranges: Maven io.spray:spray-json_2.12 >=0 =0 =0 <1.3.5)

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