# What is CVE-2022-4450?

> CVE-2022-4450 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) in OpenSSL, published on 8 February 2023. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 29%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2022-4450

## At a glance

- **Verdict:** Fix this soon. Not confirmed as exploited yet, but serious or likely enough that it should not wait for a quiet month.
- **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 42 out of 100 (Medium); action: Plan remediation. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** High (CVSS 7.5 out of 10)
- **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today
- **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 29% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 8 February 2023
- **Record last updated:** 4 November 2025
- **Main product:** OpenSSL
- **Affected products:** 2

## What is CVE-2022-4450? In plain terms

It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can take it offline.

### The official description

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.

The functions PEM_read_bio() and PEM_read() are simple wrappers around
PEM_read_bio_ex() and therefore these functions are also directly affected.

These functions are also called indirectly by a number of other OpenSSL
functions including PEM_X509_INFO_read_bio_ex() and
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.

The OpenSSL asn1parse command line application is also impacted by this issue.

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-415: Double Free

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet
- How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions
- Login needed first: No login needed
- Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker gets: Can take it offline

Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`

## Is CVE-2022-4450 being exploited? Not that we know of

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 29%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 20%, 20%, 20%, 20%, 29%, 29%, 29%.

### Timeline

- 8 February 2023: Published
- 4 November 2025: Record last updated
- 16 June 2026: Exploit likelihood jumped

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2022-4450 scores **42 out of 100 (Medium)**, with the action "Plan remediation".

Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less:

- Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor
- How severe it is: strong factor
- How widely exposed it is: smaller factor
- Threat activity around it: smaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

## Who is affected by CVE-2022-4450?

The published record lists 2 products. Versions are as published: "1.1.1 to before 1.1.1t" means from 1.1.1 up to, but not including, 1.1.1t.

- [OpenSSL](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/openssl/openssl) by [OpenSSL](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/openssl) (Application): 1.1.1 to before 1.1.1t, 3.0.0 to before 3.0.8
- [Stormshield Network Security](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/stormshield/stormshield_network_security) by [Stormshield](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/stormshield) (Application): 4.0.0 to before 4.3.16, 4.4.0 to before 4.6.3

## How do I fix CVE-2022-4450?

1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisories and patch notes first in the list.
3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

### References

- [git.openssl.org](https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=63bcf189be73a9cc1264059bed6f57974be74a83) (Patch, Vendor advisory)
- [git.openssl.org](https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=bbcf509bd046b34cca19c766bbddc31683d0858b) (Patch, Vendor advisory)
- [openssl.org](https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20230207.txt) (Vendor advisory)
- [security.gentoo.org](https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202402-08)
- [psirt.global.sonicwall.com](https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2023-0003)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2022-4450?

CVE-2022-4450 is a high-severity flaw in OpenSSL, published on 8 February 2023. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can take it offline.

### How serious is CVE-2022-4450?

It scores 7.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2022-4450 is 42 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". Not confirmed as exploited yet, but serious or likely enough that it should not wait for a quiet month.

### Is CVE-2022-4450 being exploited?

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 29%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

### Which versions does CVE-2022-4450 affect?

For OpenSSL: 1.1.1 to before 1.1.1t, 3.0.0 to before 3.0.8. The record lists 2 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2022-4450?

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

## Does CVE-2022-4450 affect you?

Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you:

- **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.

Start free (no card, nothing to install): https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register
Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact