CVE-2022-43441 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.1) CWE-915 vulnerability in sqlite3. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for sqlite3 — see the affected versions and patch details below.
sqlite vulnerable to code execution due to Object coercion
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-2022-43441.
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-2022-43441 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 378,156 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
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
sqlite3npmDescription
Impact
Due to the underlying implementation of .ToString(), it's possible to execute arbitrary JavaScript, or to achieve a denial-of-service, if a binding parameter is a crafted Object.
Users of sqlite3 v5.0.0 - v5.1.4 are affected by this.
Patches
Fixed in v5.1.5. All users are recommended to upgrade to v5.1.5 or later.
Workarounds
- Ensure there is sufficient sanitization in the parent application to protect against invalid values being supplied to binding parameters.
References
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Email us at [email protected]
Credits: Dave McDaniel of Cisco Talos
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | sqlite3 | ≥ 5.0.0&&< 5.1.5 | 5.1.5npm install sqlite3@5.1.5 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for sqlite3, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update sqlite3 to 5.1.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2022-43441 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-2022-43441 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2022-43441. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2022-43441 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2022-43441 across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.