{"id":"CVE-2022-3171","aliases":["GHSA-h4h5-3hr4-j3g2"],"url":"https://o3.security/vulnerability/CVE-2022-3171","summary":"Memory handling vulnerability in ProtocolBuffers Java core and lite","details":"## Summary\nA potential Denial of Service issue in `protobuf-java` core and lite was discovered in the parsing procedure for binary and text format data. Input streams containing multiple instances of non-repeated [embedded messages](http://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/docs/encoding#embedded) with repeated or unknown fields causes objects to be converted back-n-forth between mutable and immutable forms, resulting in potentially long garbage collection pauses. \n\nReporter: [OSS Fuzz](https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=48771)\n\nAffected versions: This issue affects both the Java full and lite Protobuf runtimes, as well as Protobuf for Kotlin and JRuby, which themselves use the Java Protobuf runtime.\n\n## Severity\n\n[CVE-2022-3171](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2022-3171) Medium - CVSS Score: 5.7 (NOTE: there may be a delay in publication)\n\n## Remediation and Mitigation\n\nPlease update to the latest available versions of the following packages:\n\nprotobuf-java (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6, 3.16.3)\nprotobuf-javalite (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6, 3.16.3)\nprotobuf-kotlin (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6, 3.16.3)\nprotobuf-kotlin-lite (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6, 3.16.3)\ngoogle-protobuf [JRuby gem only] (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6)\n","published":"2022-10-12T00:00:00Z","modified":"2026-10-28T10:29:07.568494020Z","cvss":{"score":4.3,"severity":"MEDIUM","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L"},"epss":{"score":0.01143,"percentile":0.65122,"asOf":"2026-09-17"},"cisaKev":null,"exploitsKnown":0,"affectedPackages":[{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java","fixedVersion":"3.21.7"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin","fixedVersion":"3.21.7"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite","fixedVersion":"3.21.7"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite","fixedVersion":"3.21.7"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java","fixedVersion":"3.20.3"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java","fixedVersion":"3.19.6"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java","fixedVersion":"3.16.3"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin","fixedVersion":"3.20.3"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin","fixedVersion":"3.19.6"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin","fixedVersion":"3.16.3"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite","fixedVersion":"3.20.3"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite","fixedVersion":"3.19.6"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite","fixedVersion":"3.16.3"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite","fixedVersion":"3.20.3"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite","fixedVersion":"3.19.6"},{"ecosystem":"Maven","name":"com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite","fixedVersion":"3.16.3"},{"ecosystem":"RubyGems","name":"google-protobuf","fixedVersion":"3.21.7"},{"ecosystem":"RubyGems","name":"google-protobuf","fixedVersion":"3.20.3"},{"ecosystem":"RubyGems","name":"google-protobuf","fixedVersion":"3.19.6"},{"ecosystem":"RubyGems","name":"google-protobuf","fixedVersion":"3.16.3"}],"fix":null,"references":[{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2022/3xxx/CVE-2022-3171.json"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/security/advisories/GHSA-h4h5-3hr4-j3g2"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CBAUKJQL6O4TIWYBENORSY5P43TVB4M3/"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/MPCGUT3T5L6C3IDWUPSUO22QDCGQKTOP/"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-3171"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202301-09"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=48771"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/tag/v21.7"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/tag/v3.16.3"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/tag/v3.19.6"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/tag/v3.20.3"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/rubysec/ruby-advisory-db/blob/master/gems/google-protobuf/CVE-2022-3171.yml"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CBAUKJQL6O4TIWYBENORSY5P43TVB4M3"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/MPCGUT3T5L6C3IDWUPSUO22QDCGQKTOP"}],"provenance":{"sources":["OSV.dev","FIRST.org (EPSS)"],"lastVerified":"2026-10-28T10:29:07.568494020Z"}}