---
id: CVE-2014-4616
aliases:
  - GHSA-9772-cwx9-r4cj
  - PSF-2017-1
  - PYSEC-2026-921
title: simplejson before 2.6.1 vulnerable to array index error
summary: simplejson before 2.6.1 vulnerable to array index error
severity: medium
cvss: 5.9
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'
vendor: simplejson
product: simplejson
ecosystem: pip
affected:
  - simplejson < 2.6.1
patched:
  - simplejson 2.6.1
published: '2022-05-14'
updated: '2026-07-07'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-9772-cwx9-r4cj'
references:
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-4616'
  - url: 'https://hackerone.com/reports/12297'
  - url: 'https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=752395'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1112285'
  - url: 'https://github.com/simplejson/simplejson'
  - url: 'https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201503-10'
  - url: 'http://bugs.python.org/issue21529'
  - url: 'http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2014-07/msg00015.html'
  - url: 'http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/06/24/7'
  - url: 'http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-1064.html'
  - url: 'http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/68119'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
epss: 0.08125
epssPercentile: 0.94581
ingestedAt: '2026-07-08T18:25:47.779Z'
---

## Overview

Array index error in the scanstring function in the _json module in Python 2.7 through 3.5 and simplejson before 2.6.1 allows context-dependent attackers to read arbitrary process memory via a negative index value in the idx argument to the raw_decode function.

## Affected packages

- `simplejson < 2.6.1`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `simplejson 2.6.1`