Oj (Optimized JSON) is a JSON parser and Object marshaller packaged as a Ruby gem. Prior to version 3.17.2, is vulnerable to Use-After-Free when in SAJ mode. The Oj::Parser does not protect cached object keys (≥ 35 bytes) from garbage collection, and a Ruby callback that triggers GC inside hash_end can cause the key string to be reclaimed while the C parser still holds a pointer to it. The subsequent access to the freed string VALUE results in a segfault, confirmed by an RIP pointing to address 0x4242 (a canary-style pattern suggesting control over the freed memory's content). This issue has been fixed in version 3.17.2.

Affected: RubyGems: oj

### Summary

`Oj::Parser` in SAJ mode does not protect cached object keys (≥ 35 bytes) from garbage collection. A Ruby callback that triggers GC inside `hash_end` can cause the key string to be reclaimed while the C parser still holds a pointer to it. The subsequent access to the freed string VALUE results in a segfault, confirmed by an RIP pointing to address `0x4242` (a canary-style pattern suggesting control over the freed memory's content).

### Version

- **Software**: oj gem - **Affected**: all versions with `ext/oj/saj2.c` / `ext/oj/parser.c` - **Latest tested**: 3.17.1 (confirmed present)

### Details

Short keys (≤ 34 bytes) are stored inline on the C stack and are safe. Long keys (≥ 35 bytes) are stored as heap-allocated Ruby String objects passed to `rb_funcall` as the `key` argument. Between the key being resolved and the callback completing, a GC triggered inside the callback (e.g. `GC.start`) can collect the key String, leaving a dangling VALUE.

Crash output: ``` long_key_trigger [BUG] Segmentation fault at 0x0000000000004242 close_object+0x260 /ext/oj/usual.c:405 (calls rb_funcall with freed key) parse+0x11ff /ext/oj/parser.c:693 parser_parse+0x145 /ext/oj/parser.c:1408

RIP: 0x7fd1b46d68b7 RDI: 0x0000000000004242 (freed key VALUE) R12: 0x0000000000004242 ```

The freed VALUE `0x4242` shows the attacker-controlled content of the key string was loaded as a pointer — a classic use-after-free indicator.

### Reproduce

```ruby requi…

Affected: Ubuntu:14.04:LTS: ruby-oj, Ubuntu:16.04:LTS: ruby-oj, Ubuntu:18.04:LTS: ruby-oj, Ubuntu:20.04:LTS: ruby-oj, Ubuntu:22.04:LTS: ruby-oj, Ubuntu:24.04:LTS: ruby-oj, Ubuntu:25.10: ruby-oj, Ubuntu:26.04:LTS: ruby-oj

Oj (Optimized JSON) is a JSON parser and Object marshaller packaged as a Ruby gem. Prior to version 3.17.2, is vulnerable to Use-After-Free when in SAJ mode. The Oj::Parser does not protect cached object keys (≥ 35 bytes) from garbage collection, and a Ruby callback that triggers GC inside hash_end can cause the key string to be reclaimed while the C parser still holds a pointer to it. The subsequent access to the freed string VALUE results in a segfault, confirmed by an RIP pointing to address 0x4242 (a canary-style pattern suggesting control over the freed memory's content). This issue has been fixed in version 3.17.2.