How severe is CVE-2022-38222?

CVE-2022-38222 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-2022-38222 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2022-38222?

CVE-2022-38222 affects Xpdfreader Xpdf. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2022-38222?

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-2022-38222 published?

CVE-2022-38222 was published on 2022-09-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2022-38222

CVE-2022-38222 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-416.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (35th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-416
Affected product: Xpdfreader Xpdf
Published: 2022-09-29
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

There is a use-after-free issue in JBIG2Stream::close() located in JBIG2Stream.cc in Xpdf 4.04. It can be triggered by sending a crafted PDF file to (for example) the pdfimages binary. It allows an attacker to cause Denial of Service or possibly have unspecified other impact.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-38222?: There is a use-after-free issue in JBIG2Stream::close() located in JBIG2Stream.cc in Xpdf 4.04. It can be triggered by sending a crafted PDF file to (for example) the pdfimages binary. It allows an attacker to cause Denial of Service or possibly have unspecified other impact.
How severe is CVE-2022-38222?: CVE-2022-38222 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-2022-38222 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-38222?: CVE-2022-38222 affects Xpdfreader Xpdf. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-38222?: 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-2022-38222 published?: CVE-2022-38222 was published on 2022-09-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://forum.xpdfreader.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=42320

Affected products (1)

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

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CVE-2026-4688 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to use-after-free in the Disability Access APIs component. This vulnerability was fixed in Firefox…
CVE-2025-24085 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3,…
CVE-2024-43102 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Concurrent removals of certain anonymous shared memory mappings by using the UMTX_SHM_DESTROY sub-request of…
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