How severe is CVE-2022-38171?

CVE-2022-38171 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2022-38171 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (23rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2022-38171?

CVE-2022-38171 primarily affects Xpdfreader Xpdf. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2022-38171?

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

When was CVE-2022-38171 published?

CVE-2022-38171 was published on 2022-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2022-38171

CVE-2022-38171 is a high-severity vulnerability in Xpdfreader Xpdf with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-190.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (23rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-190
Affected product: Xpdfreader Xpdf
Published: 2022-08-22
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Xpdf prior to version 4.04 contains an integer overflow in the JBIG2 decoder (JBIG2Stream::readTextRegionSeg() in JBIG2Stream.cc). Processing a specially crafted PDF file or JBIG2 image could lead to a crash or the execution of arbitrary code. This is similar to the vulnerability described by CVE-2021-30860 (Apple CoreGraphics).

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-38171?: Xpdf prior to version 4.04 contains an integer overflow in the JBIG2 decoder (JBIG2Stream::readTextRegionSeg() in JBIG2Stream.cc). Processing a specially crafted PDF file or JBIG2 image could lead to a crash or the execution of arbitrary code. This is similar to the vulnerability described by CVE-2021-30860 (Apple CoreGraphics).
How severe is CVE-2022-38171?: CVE-2022-38171 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2022-38171 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (23rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-38171?: CVE-2022-38171 primarily affects Xpdfreader Xpdf. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-38171?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2022-38171 published?: CVE-2022-38171 was published on 2022-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:xpdfreader:xpdf:4.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:freedesktop:poppler:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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CVE-2015-5108 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Integer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.15 and 11.x before 11.0.12, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC…
CVE-2015-5097 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Integer overflow in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.15 and 11.x before 11.0.12, Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC…
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