jackson-databind's renamed @JsonIgnore'd setters can deserialize via private fields
Date: 2026-06
Affected: maven/tools.jackson.core:jackson-databind, maven/com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind, maven/com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind
Attack vector: deserialization
Category: vulnerability-disclosure
Severity: Medium
CVE: CVE-2026-54516
CWE: CWE-915
CVSS: 5.3 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N)

## Summary `POJOPropertiesCollector._renameProperties()` allows a property with `@JsonProperty("renamed")` on the getter and `@JsonIgnore` on the setter to be renamed rather than dropped. With `MapperFeature.INFER_PROPERTY_MUTATORS` enabled (default), the private backing field is retained; during deserialization `BeanDeserializerFactory.addBeanProps()` sees `hasField()==true`, builds a `FieldProperty`, and makes the backing field writable. An attacker supplying the renamed JSON key writes the backing field directly, bypassing the `@JsonIgnore` on the setter. ## Impact POJOs combining a renamed getter with an ignored setter (a read-only-over-the-wire pattern) have that field silently set from attacker input (property tampering / mass assignment). Not a general gadget; no RCE. ## Affected / Patched (verified via `git tag --contains`) - 2.21 line: `>= 2.21.0, < 2.21.4` -> fixed in **2.21.4** (backport `c3d56dd`, #5968) - 3.x line: `>= 3.0.0, < 3.1.4` -> fixed in **3.1.4** (#5967, `e88cb17`) ## Severity / CWE Maintainer: minor. Reporter: HIGH. CWE-915. ## Credits Omkhar Arasaratnam (@omkhar) - finder.


Mitigations:

Architectural layers (MAESTRO):