CVE-2022-4450: Openssl src Openssl-src Contains Double Free After Vulnerability
HIGHCVE-2022-4450 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) openssl-src contains double free after vulnerability (CWE-415: Double Free) affecting Openssl src libraries in the crates.io ecosystem. The issue involves openssl-src contains double free after calling `pem_read_bio_ex`. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 111.25.0, 300.0.12.
CVE-2022-4450 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 7.5
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
How to Fix CVE-2022-4450
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Openssl src dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
Upgrade openssl-src to 111.25.0
Upgrade openssl-src to 300.0.12
Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
inspect dependencies for openssl-src
How to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2022-4450, inspect your project dependencies for Openssl src:
inspect dependencies for openssl-src
Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Openssl src in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 111.25.0), your application is affected.
Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.
Technical Details
Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-415: Double Free, where the product calls free() twice on the same memory address. In Openssl src, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.
Source Advisory Statement
CVE-2022-4450 Affected Openssl src Versions
2 component(s)| Product / Package | Ecosystem | Affected Versions | Fixed Version |
|---|---|---|---|
|
openssl-src
|
crates.io |
< 111.25.0
|
111.25.0
|
|
openssl-src
|
crates.io |
≥ 300.0.0
< 300.0.12
|
300.0.12
|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2022-4450?
Which Openssl src versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2022-4450?
Is openssl-src affected?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2022-4450?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2022-4450?
How can I check crates.io dependencies for CVE-2022-4450?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-v5w6-wcm8-jm4q",
"modified" : "2025-11-04T22:08:19Z",
"published" : "2023-02-08T22:22:58Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2022-4450" ],
"summary" : "openssl-src contains Double free after calling `PEM_read_bio_ex`",
"details" : "The function `PEM_read_bio_ex()` reads a PEM file from a BIO and parses and decodes the \"name\" (e.g. \"CERTIFICATE\"), any header data and the payload data. If the function succeeds then the \"name_out\", \"header\" and \"data\" arguments are populated with pointers to buffers containing the relevant decoded data. The caller is responsible for freeing those buffers. It is possible to construct a PEM file that results in 0 bytes of payload data. In this case `PEM_read_bio_ex()` will return a failure code but will populate the header argument with a pointer to a buffer that has already been freed. If the caller also frees this buffer then a double free will occur. This will most likely lead to a crash. This could be exploited by an attacker who has the ability to supply malicious PEM files for parsing to achieve a denial of service attack.\n\nThe functions `PEM_read_bio()` and `PEM_read()` are simple wrappers around `PEM_read_bio_ex()` and therefore these functions are also directly affected.\n\nThese functions are also called indirectly by a number of other OpenSSL functions including `PEM_X509_INFO_read_bio_ex()` and\n`SSL_CTX_use_serverinfo_file()` which are also vulnerable. Some OpenSSL internal uses of these functions are not vulnerable because the caller does not free the header argument if `PEM_read_bio_ex()` returns a failure code. These locations include the `PEM_read_bio_TYPE()` functions as well as the decoders introduced in OpenSSL 3.0.",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
} ],
"affected" : [ {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "crates.io",
"name" : "openssl-src"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "0"
}, {
"fixed" : "111.25.0"
} ]
} ]
}, {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "crates.io",
"name" : "openssl-src"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "300.0.0"
}, {
"fixed" : "300.0.12"
} ]
} ]
} ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-4450"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=63bcf189be73a9cc1264059bed6f57974be74a83"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=bbcf509bd046b34cca19c766bbddc31683d0858b"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2023-0003"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2023-0010.html"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202402-08"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20230207.txt"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-415" ],
"severity" : "HIGH",
"github_reviewed" : true,
"github_reviewed_at" : "2023-02-08T22:22:58Z",
"nvd_published_at" : "2023-02-08T20:15:00Z"
}
}