CVE-2022-45868 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.4) CWE-312 vulnerability in com.h2database:h2. 1 public exploit or proof-of-concept reference is indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for com.h2database:h2 — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Password exposure in H2 Database
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-2022-45868.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
com.h2database:h2Real-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
The web-based admin console in H2 Database Engine before 2.2.220 can be started via the CLI with the argument -webAdminPassword, which allows the user to specify the password in cleartext for the web admin console. Consequently, a local user (or an attacker that has obtained local access through some means) would be able to discover the password by listing processes and their arguments. NOTE: the vendor states "This is not a vulnerability of H2 Console ... Passwords should never be passed on the command line and every qualified DBA or system administrator is expected to know that." Nonetheless, the issue was fixed in 2.2.220.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | com.h2database:h2 | ≥ 1.4.198&&< 2.2.220 | 2.2.220com.h2database:h2:2.2.220 |
Affected Products
h2h2databaseResearch 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 com.h2database:h2, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update com.h2database:h2 to 2.2.220 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2022-45868 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2022-45868 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.