CVE-2022-41853 — hsqldb
CRITICALCVE-2022-41853 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.8) CWE-470 vulnerability in org.hsqldb:hsqldb. A fix is available for org.hsqldb:hsqldb — see the affected versions and patch details below.
HyperSQL DataBase vulnerable to remote code execution when processing untrusted input
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2022-41853.
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-2022-41853 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 379,145 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
org.hsqldb:hsqldbReal-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
Those using java.sql.Statement or java.sql.PreparedStatement in hsqldb (HyperSQL DataBase) to process untrusted input may be vulnerable to a remote code execution attack. By default it is allowed to call any static method of any Java class in the classpath resulting in code execution. The issue can be prevented by updating to 2.7.1 or by setting the system property "hsqldb.method_class_names" to classes which are allowed to be called. For example, System.setProperty("hsqldb.method_class_names", "abc") or Java argument -Dhsqldb.method_class_names="abc" can be used. From version 2.7.1 all classes by default are not accessible except those in java.lang.Math and need to be manually enabled.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.hsqldb:hsqldb | all versions | 2.7.1org.hsqldb:hsqldb:2.7.1 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.hsqldb:hsqldb, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.hsqldb:hsqldb to 2.7.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2022-41853 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 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2022-41853 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2022-41853. 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.
By default, the static methods of any class that is on the classpath are available for use and can compromise security in some systems. The optional Java system property, hsqldb.method_class_names, allows preventing access to classes other than java.lang.Math or specifying a semicolon-separated list of allowed classes. A property value that ends with .* is treated as a wild card and allows access to all class or method names formed by substitution of the * (asterisk). In the example below, the property has been included as an argument to the Java command. java -Dhsqldb.method_class_names="org.me.MyClass;org.you.YourClass;org.you.lib.*" [the rest of the command line] The above example allows…Source: Red Hat security advisory for CVE-2022-41853 (CC BY 4.0)
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Extended Lifecycle Support | hsqldb-1:1.8.0.10-13.el6_10 | RHSA-2022:8559 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | hsqldb-1:1.8.1.3-15.el7_9 | RHSA-2022:8560 |
| Red Hat Fuse 7.11.1 | hsqldb | RHSA-2022:8652 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform | com.h2database/h2:1.4.197.redhat-00004 | RHSA-2023:1516 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.1 EUS for RHEL 7 | eap7-apache-cxf-0:3.1.16-3.SP1_redhat_00001.1.ep7.el7 | RHSA-2024:10208 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.3 EUS for RHEL 7 | eap7-apache-cxf-0:3.4.10-1.SP1_redhat_00001.1.el7eap | RHSA-2024:10207 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.4 for RHEL 8 | eap7-activemq-artemis-native-1:1.0.2-3.redhat_00004.1.el8eap | RHSA-2023:1513 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.4 for RHEL 9 | eap7-activemq-artemis-native-1:1.0.2-3.redhat_00004.1.el9eap | RHSA-2023:1514 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2022-41853 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2022-41853 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.