Fix generics stack leak that poisoned reused Kryo instances

src/com/esotericsoftware/kryo/Kryo.java

@@ -953,6 +953,7 @@ public void reset () {
 		depth = 0;
 		if (graphContext != null) graphContext.clear(2048);
 		classResolver.reset();
+		generics.reset();
 		if (references) {
 			referenceResolver.reset();
 			readObject = null;

src/com/esotericsoftware/kryo/serializers/ReflectField.java

@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ public void write (Output output, Object object) {
 					kryo.writeObject(output, value, serializer);
 				}
 			}
-			kryo.getGenerics().popGenericType();
 		} catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
 			throw new KryoException("Error accessing field: " + name + " (" + object.getClass().getName() + ")", ex);
 		} catch (KryoException ex) {
@@ -102,6 +101,9 @@ public void write (Output output, Object object) {
 			KryoException ex = new KryoException(t);
 			ex.addTrace(name + " (" + object.getClass().getName() + ")");
 			throw ex;
+		} finally {
+			// Pop in a finally so an exception thrown by the nested write does not leave the generics stack unbalanced.
+			kryo.getGenerics().popGenericType();
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -134,8 +136,6 @@ public void read (Input input, Object object) {
 				else
 					value = kryo.readObject(input, concreteType, serializer);
 			}
-			kryo.getGenerics().popGenericType();
-
 			set(object, value);
 		} catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
 			throw new KryoException("Error accessing field: " + name + " (" + fieldSerializer.type.getName() + ")", ex);
@@ -146,6 +146,9 @@ public void read (Input input, Object object) {
 			KryoException ex = new KryoException(t);
 			ex.addTrace(name + " (" + fieldSerializer.type.getName() + ")");
 			throw ex;
+		} finally {
+			// Pop in a finally so an exception thrown by the nested read does not leave the generics stack unbalanced.
+			kryo.getGenerics().popGenericType();
 		}
 	}
 

src/com/esotericsoftware/kryo/util/DefaultGenerics.java

@@ -156,6 +156,19 @@ public int getGenericTypesSize () {
 		return genericTypesSize;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public void reset () {
+		// Fast path: after a balanced (successful) serialization both stacks are already empty.
+		if (genericTypesSize == 0 && argumentsSize == 0) return;
+		// Slow path: a serializer threw before popping. Discard the leaked entries so the next serialization starts clean.
+		for (int i = 0; i < genericTypesSize; i++)
+			genericTypes[i] = null;
+		genericTypesSize = 0;
+		for (int i = 0; i < argumentsSize; i++)
+			arguments[i] = null;
+		argumentsSize = 0;
+	}
+
 	public String toString () {
 		StringBuilder buffer = new StringBuilder();
 		for (int i = 0; i < argumentsSize; i += 2) {

src/com/esotericsoftware/kryo/util/Generics.java

@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 
 import static com.esotericsoftware.kryo.util.Util.*;
 
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.Kryo;
+
 import java.lang.reflect.Array;
 import java.lang.reflect.GenericArrayType;
 import java.lang.reflect.GenericDeclaration;
@@ -78,6 +80,14 @@ public interface Generics {
 	/** Returns the number of generic types currently tracked */
 	int getGenericTypesSize ();
 
+	/** Discards all tracked generic type information, returning to an empty state. This is called by {@link Kryo#reset()} so a
+	 * reused Kryo instance is not left with stale generics if a serializer throws an exception before a balancing
+	 * {@link #popGenericType()} or {@link #popTypeVariables(int)}. Implementations should be cheap when there is nothing to
+	 * discard, since this is called after every serialization and deserialization (when auto-reset is enabled). The default
+	 * implementation does nothing. */
+	default void reset () {
+	}
+
 	/** Stores the type parameters for a class and, for parameters passed to super classes, the corresponding super class type
 	 * parameters. */
 	class GenericsHierarchy {

src/com/esotericsoftware/kryo/util/NoGenerics.java

@@ -71,4 +71,8 @@ public Class resolveTypeVariable (TypeVariable typeVariable) {
 	public int getGenericTypesSize () {
 		return 0;
 	}
+
+	@Override
+	public void reset () {
+	}
 }

test/com/esotericsoftware/kryo/serializers/GenericsResetTest.java

@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+/* Copyright (c) 2008-2025, Nathan Sweet
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following
+ * conditions are met:
+ *
+ * - Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+ * disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+ * - Neither the name of Esoteric Software nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ * from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING,
+ * BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT
+ * SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+ * DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+ * INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING
+ * NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. */
+
+package com.esotericsoftware.kryo.serializers;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
+
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.Kryo;
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.KryoException;
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.KryoTestCase;
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.Serializer;
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.io.Input;
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.io.Output;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+/** Verifies that an exception thrown while (de)serializing a generic field does not leak the generics stack and poison a reused
+ * Kryo instance.
+ * <p>
+ * See <a href="https://github.com/EsotericSoftware/kryo/issues/1281">#1281</a>: when a serializer threw between
+ * {@link com.esotericsoftware.kryo.util.Generics#pushGenericType pushGenericType} and the balancing
+ * {@link com.esotericsoftware.kryo.util.Generics#popGenericType popGenericType}, the leaked entry survived {@link Kryo#reset()}
+ * and caused a later, unrelated deserialization to fail with an {@link ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException}. */
+class GenericsResetTest extends KryoTestCase {
+
+	@Test
+	void testGenericsStackIsResetAfterDeserializationException () {
+		kryo.setReferences(false);
+		kryo.setRegistrationRequired(false);
+		kryo.register(Holder.class);
+		kryo.register(Item.class);
+		kryo.register(Payload.class, new ThrowOnReadSerializer());
+
+		// A Holder whose List<Item> element holds a Payload. Reading the Payload throws, after the generic type for the
+		// List<Item> field was pushed, leaking it onto the generics stack.
+		Holder holder = new Holder();
+		holder.items = new ArrayList();
+		Item item = new Item();
+		item.payload = new Payload();
+		holder.items.add(item);
+
+		Output output = new Output(512);
+		kryo.writeClassAndObject(output, holder);
+		byte[] failingBytes = output.toBytes();
+
+		// An unrelated, well-formed HashMap containing two non-empty nested maps. On a poisoned instance, reading the second
+		// nested map mistakes the leaked List generic for a Map generic and indexes [1], throwing AIOOBE.
+		byte[] validBytes = writeNestedMaps();
+
+		// The first deserialization fails inside the generic field.
+		assertThrows(KryoException.class, () -> kryo.readClassAndObject(new Input(failingBytes)));
+
+		// Kryo.reset() must have discarded the leaked generic type.
+		assertEquals(0, kryo.getGenerics().getGenericTypesSize());
+
+		// A subsequent unrelated deserialization on the same instance must succeed.
+		Object result = kryo.readClassAndObject(new Input(validBytes));
+		assertTrue(result instanceof Map);
+		assertEquals(2, ((Map)result).size());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void testGenericsStackIsResetAfterSerializationException () {
+		kryo.setReferences(false);
+		kryo.setRegistrationRequired(false);
+		kryo.register(Holder.class);
+		kryo.register(Item.class);
+		kryo.register(Payload.class, new ThrowOnWriteSerializer());
+
+		Holder holder = new Holder();
+		holder.items = new ArrayList();
+		Item item = new Item();
+		item.payload = new Payload();
+		holder.items.add(item);
+
+		// Writing the Payload throws, after the generic type for the List<Item> field was pushed.
+		assertThrows(KryoException.class, () -> kryo.writeClassAndObject(new Output(512), holder));
+
+		// Kryo.reset() must have discarded the leaked generic type.
+		assertEquals(0, kryo.getGenerics().getGenericTypesSize());
+
+		// A subsequent unrelated serialization/deserialization on the same instance must succeed.
+		byte[] validBytes = writeNestedMaps();
+		Object result = kryo.readClassAndObject(new Input(validBytes));
+		assertTrue(result instanceof Map);
+		assertEquals(2, ((Map)result).size());
+	}
+
+	/** A bare HashMap with two non-empty nested maps, mirroring the payload that triggers the AIOOBE on a poisoned instance. */
+	private byte[] writeNestedMaps () {
+		Map<String, Object> map = new HashMap();
+		Map<String, String> nested1 = new HashMap();
+		nested1.put("a", "1");
+		Map<String, String> nested2 = new HashMap();
+		nested2.put("b", "2");
+		map.put("k1", nested1);
+		map.put("k2", nested2);
+
+		Output output = new Output(512);
+		kryo.writeClassAndObject(output, map);
+		return output.toBytes();
+	}
+
+	public static class Holder {
+		public List<Item> items;
+	}
+
+	public static class Item {
+		public Object payload;
+	}
+
+	public static class Payload {
+	}
+
+	/** Writes nothing and always throws on read, simulating any read-time failure (eg a missing class). */
+	static class ThrowOnReadSerializer extends Serializer<Payload> {
+		public void write (Kryo kryo, Output output, Payload object) {
+		}
+
+		public Payload read (Kryo kryo, Input input, Class<? extends Payload> type) {
+			throw new RuntimeException("simulated read failure");
+		}
+	}
+
+	/** Always throws on write, simulating any write-time failure. */
+	static class ThrowOnWriteSerializer extends Serializer<Payload> {
+		public void write (Kryo kryo, Output output, Payload object) {
+			throw new RuntimeException("simulated write failure");
+		}
+
+		public Payload read (Kryo kryo, Input input, Class<? extends Payload> type) {
+			return new Payload();
+		}
+	}
+}