CVE-2022-1471
HIGHCVE-2022-1471 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.3) Improper Input Validation vulnerability in org.yaml:snakeyaml. 7 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2022-1471 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Remote Code execution in SnakeYAML
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2022-1471.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2022-1471 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE sits: patch-first territory.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 369,023 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the ≥ 90% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
org.yaml:snakeyamlReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
SnakeYaml's Constructor() class does not restrict types which can be instantiated during deserialization. Deserializing yaml content provided by an attacker can lead to remote code execution. We recommend using SnakeYaml's SafeConsturctor when parsing untrusted content to restrict deserialization. We recommend upgrading to version 2.0 and beyond.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.yaml:snakeyaml | all versions | 2.0 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
SnakeYaml's Constructor() class does not restrict types which can be ins…
SnakeYaml's Constructor() class does not restrict types which can be ins…
SnakeYaml's Constructor() class does not restrict types which can be ins…
SnakeYaml's Constructor() class does not restrict types which can be ins…
SnakeYaml's Constructor() class does not restrict types which can be ins…
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.yaml:snakeyaml. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.yaml:snakeyaml to 2.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2022-1471 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2022-1471 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2022-1471. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
In the Red Hat Process Automation 7 (RHPAM) the untrusted, malicious YAML file for deserialization by the vulnerable Snakeyaml's SafeConstructor class must be provided intentionally by the RHPAM user which requires high privileges. The potential attack complexity is also high because it depends on conditions that are…
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2022-1471 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2022-1471 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.