GHSA-w35j-pv5h-q9q9 — log4j-layout-template-json
Fix: apache/logging-log4j2#4080GHSA-w35j-pv5h-q9q9 is a CWE-116 vulnerability in org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-layout-template-json. A fix is available for org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-layout-template-json — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Apache Log4j JSON Template Layout: Improper serialization of non-finite floating-point values in JsonTemplateLayout
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-w35j-pv5h-q9q9.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-layout-template-json☕org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-layout-template-jsonReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Apache Log4j's JsonTemplateLayout https://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.x/manual/json-template-layout.html , in versions up to and including 2.25.3, produces invalid JSON output when log events contain non-finite floating-point values (NaN, Infinity, or -Infinity), which are prohibited by RFC 8259. This may cause downstream log processing systems to reject or fail to index affected records.
An attacker can exploit this issue only if both of the following conditions are met:
- The application uses JsonTemplateLayout.
- The application logs a MapMessage, or logs an object directly (e.g., via Logger.info(Object), which wraps it in an ObjectMessage), where the message contains an attacker-controlled floating-point value.
Users are advised to upgrade to Apache Log4j JSON Template Layout 2.25.4, which corrects this issue.
Note: The fix released in version 2.25.4 did not cover all affected code paths. CVE-2026-49844 was assigned to the remaining issue, which concerns the MapMessage.asJson() serialization in Apache Log4j API and is fixed in versions 2.25.5 and 2.26.1.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-layout-template-json | ≥ 2.14.0&&< 2.25.4 | 2.25.4org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-layout-template-json:2.25.4 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-layout-template-json | ≥ 3.0.0-alpha1 | No fix |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-layout-template-json, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-layout-template-json to 2.25.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-w35j-pv5h-q9q9 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-w35j-pv5h-q9q9 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-w35j-pv5h-q9q9. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Exploitation of this flaw requires an application to be configured with JsonTemplateLayout and to log attacker-controlled non-finite floating-point values within a MapMessage, which is not a default or common configuration in Red Hat products.
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat AMQ Broker 7.13.6 | log4j-layout-template-json | RHSA-2026:66545 |
| Red Hat AMQ Broker 7.14.1 | log4j-layout-template-json | RHSA-2026:66488 |
| Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4.18.1.P1 for Spring Boot 3.5.16 | log4j-layout-template-json | RHSA-2026:37390 |
| Red Hat Data Grid 8.6.1 | log4j-layout-template-json | RHSA-2026:22619 |
| Streams for Apache Kafka 3.2.1 | log4j-layout-template-json | RHSA-2026:54435 |
| Red Hat Offline Knowledge Portal 1.2.13 | offline-knowledge-portal/rhokp-rhel9:1779996999 | RHSA-2026:21773 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-w35j-pv5h-q9q9 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-w35j-pv5h-q9q9 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.