CVE-2022-40304: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-g848-pppp-vg6f
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CVSS 7.8
CWE-415 CWE-611
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2022-40304 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.8) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-415: Double Free) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product calls free() twice on the same memory address.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2022-40304 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2022-40304
GHSA Identifier GHSA-g848-pppp-vg6f
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.8
CWE Classification CWE-415: Double Free
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2022-40304

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2022-40304, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

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 Software, 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

An issue was discovered in libxml2 before 2.10.3. Certain invalid XML entity definitions can corrupt a hash table key, potentially leading to subsequent logic errors. In one case, a double-free can be provoked.

References

NVD — CVE-2022-40304 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-40304
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-337522.html
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-341067.html
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-556635.html
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-625862.html
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-769027.html
gitlab.gnome.org/gnome/libxml2/-/com... WEB
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/-/commit/1b41ec4e9433b05bb0376be4725804c54ef1d80b
gitlab.gnome.org/gnome/libxml2/-/tag... WEB
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/-/tags
gitlab.gnome.org/gnome/libxml2/-/tag... WEB
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/-/tags/v2.10.3
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20221209-0003
support.apple.com/kb/ht213531 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213531
support.apple.com/kb/ht213533 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213533
support.apple.com/kb/ht213534 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213534
support.apple.com/kb/ht213535 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213535
support.apple.com/kb/ht213536 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213536
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/21
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/24
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/25
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/26
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/27

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-40304?
CVE-2022-40304 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-415: Double Free.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2022-40304?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2022-40304?
CVE-2022-40304 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2022-40304?
CVE-2022-40304 is classified under CWE-415: Double Free (The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2022-40304?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-g848-pppp-vg6f",
  "modified" : "2026-10-14T18:31:34Z",
  "published" : "2022-11-23T18:30:27Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2022-40304" ],
  "details" : "An issue was discovered in libxml2 before 2.10.3. Certain invalid XML entity definitions can corrupt a hash table key, potentially leading to subsequent logic errors. In one case, a double-free can be provoked.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
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  } ],
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    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-337522.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-341067.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html"
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    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-556635.html"
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    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-625862.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-769027.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/-/commit/1b41ec4e9433b05bb0376be4725804c54ef1d80b"
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    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20221209-0003"
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    "type" : "WEB",
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  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213533"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213534"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213535"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213536"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/21"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/24"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/25"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/26"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/27"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-415", "CWE-611" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-11-23T18:15:00Z"
  }
}