How severe is CVE-2022-36227?

CVE-2022-36227 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2022-36227 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2022-36227?

CVE-2022-36227 primarily affects Libarchive. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2022-36227?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2022-36227 published?

CVE-2022-36227 was published on 2022-11-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2022-36227

CVE-2022-36227 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Libarchive with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-476.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (78th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-476
Affected product: Libarchive
Published: 2022-11-22
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In libarchive before 3.6.2, the software does not check for an error after calling calloc function that can return with a NULL pointer if the function fails, which leads to a resultant NULL pointer dereference. NOTE: the discoverer cites this CWE-476 remark but third parties dispute the code-execution impact: "In rare circumstances, when NULL is equivalent to the 0x0 memory address and privileged code can access it, then writing or reading memory is possible, which may lead to code execution."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-36227?: In libarchive before 3.6.2, the software does not check for an error after calling calloc function that can return with a NULL pointer if the function fails, which leads to a resultant NULL pointer dereference. NOTE: the discoverer cites this CWE-476 remark but third parties dispute the code-execution impact: "In rare circumstances, when NULL is equivalent to the 0x0 memory address and privileged code can access it, then writing or reading memory is possible, which may lead to code execution."
How severe is CVE-2022-36227?: CVE-2022-36227 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2022-36227 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (78th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-36227?: CVE-2022-36227 primarily affects Libarchive. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-36227?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2022-36227 published?: CVE-2022-36227 was published on 2022-11-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:a:libarchive:libarchive:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:37:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:splunk:universal_forwarder:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:splunk:universal_forwarder:9.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Libarchive

CVE-2024-37407 — Critical (CVSS 9.1): Libarchive before 3.7.4 allows name out-of-bounds access when a ZIP archive has an empty-name file and mac-ext is…
CVE-2020-9308 — High (CVSS 8.8): archive_read_support_format_rar5.c in libarchive before 3.4.2 attempts to unpack a RAR5 file with an invalid or…
CVE-2018-1000878 — High (CVSS 8.8): libarchive version commit 416694915449219d505531b1096384f3237dd6cc onwards (release v3.1.0 onwards) contains a CWE-416:…
CVE-2018-1000877 — High (CVSS 8.8): libarchive version commit 416694915449219d505531b1096384f3237dd6cc onwards (release v3.1.0 onwards) contains a CWE-415:…
CVE-2016-1541 — High (CVSS 8.8): Heap-based buffer overflow in the zip_read_mac_metadata function in archive_read_support_format_zip.c in libarchive…
CVE-2016-6250 — High (CVSS 8.6): Integer overflow in the ISO9660 writer in libarchive before 3.2.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service…

All CVEs affecting Libarchive →

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CVE-2026-31657 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: batman-adv: hold claim backbone gateways by…
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Browse all CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference) vulnerabilities →